Sans Normal Menab 3 is a very bold, wide, medium contrast, italic, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Frutiger Next Paneuropean' by Linotype, 'Taz' by LucasFonts, 'Core Sans N' and 'Core Sans NR' by S-Core, and 'Mally' by Sea Types (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, sports branding, packaging, promotions, sporty, dynamic, confident, retro, impact, momentum, attention, slanted, blocky, rounded, compact, punchy.
A heavy, slanted sans with broad proportions and compact counters, built from rounded rectangles and smooth curves. Strokes are consistently thick with only subtle modulation, and terminals are mostly squared-off with softened corners, giving the shapes a sturdy, molded feel. The forms lean forward with a slight shear, and several letters show mild asymmetrical shaping that adds momentum without becoming distorted. Numerals match the letterforms with squat, weighty silhouettes and tight interior spaces.
Best suited to display roles where impact matters: headlines, posters, large labels, and short callouts. It works well for sports and activity branding, energetic campaigns, and packaging where dense, high-contrast word silhouettes help commands stand out at a glance.
The overall tone is energetic and assertive, with a forward-leaning, action-oriented rhythm that reads as sporty and promotional. Its chunky silhouettes and rounded geometry give it a friendly toughness, evoking vintage athletic branding and bold retail messaging rather than formal editorial use.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum punch in short text while preserving a rounded, approachable construction. By combining a forward slant with thick, compact letterforms, it aims to communicate speed and confidence for branding-forward applications.
Spacing appears intentionally tight at display sizes, emphasizing dense word shapes and strong horizontal presence. The lowercase maintains clear differentiation (single-storey a and g, simple i/j dots) while keeping the same compact, weight-driven character as the capitals.