When news broke that the International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor and staff had their Microsoft accounts suspended it set off alarm bells. What stood clear: Microsoft has the power to flip the switch—pulling access from whoever Washington decides is inconvenient. Whether it's international justice or your inbox, this isn’t just a glitch in the system—it’s the system working as designed. This is yet another stark reminder of why Europe needs true digital sovereignty. So we made a cap that says it plainly: Ctrl €ur Data.
 
Font:
OCR-B is based on the typeface originally designed by Adrian Frutiger in 1966 for the European Computer Manufacturer’s Association (ECMA). Unlike the earlier OCR-A, with its angular, octagonal shapes optimised purely for machine readability, OCR-B was created to strike a balance between human and machine legibility. Its rounded forms and more natural proportions make it visually friendlier and easier to read than its predecessor.
 
According to Linotype, “additional acclaim came after Frutiger was approached to come up with a more pleasing design for the optical character recognition typefaces used for computers. The result was OCR-B, which became the worldwide standard in 1973.”
 
As designer Erik Spiekermann noted, “the work was commissioned by ECMA in Geneva. They didn't want to adapt OCR-A, already used in the USA. Frutiger’s job was to make a machine-readable type that was acceptable to the human eye as well.” He began the work in 1963, designing OCR-B on a finer grid than OCR-A’s 5x9 structure.
 
Frutiger also developed a version for letterpress printing, featuring lowercase characters and subtle stroke modulation. The original OCR-B was monospaced with round stroke endings, while a later proportional version introduced straight terminals.
 
Though its role in modern typography is now mostly historical, OCR-B remains an important milestone in the evolution of machine-readable type that also considered human aesthetics and European digital sovereignty.
 
Adrian Frutiger
 
Adrian Frutiger was a renowned Swiss typeface designer who significantly influenced typography in the latter half of the 20th century. His career spanned the hot metal, phototypesetting, and digital typesetting eras. Frutiger was known for his meticulous craftsmanship and deep understanding of letter forms, which he initially showcased in his illustrated essay on European letter types carved in wood. This work caught the attention of Charles Peignot of the Deberny & Peignot foundry, leading to Frutiger's recruitment.
 
At Deberny & Peignot, Frutiger designed several notable typefaces, including Président, Ondine, and Méridien. His first commercial typeface, Président, featured titling capital letters with small, bracketed serifs, while Ondine was a calligraphic script face. Méridien, an old-style serif text face, reflected Frutiger's ideas of letter construction and organic form.
 
One of Frutiger's most iconic contributions is the Univers typeface, a large, unified font family designed for both metal and photo-composition systems. Univers was notable for its structured diversity and became a model for future typefaces. Frutiger's work on Univers demonstrated his ability to create versatile and cohesive type families.
 
Frutiger also designed the Frutiger typeface, initially created for signage at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. This typeface became highly influential and was praised for its legibility and modern aesthetic. Other notable designs by Frutiger include Avenir, Icone, OCR-B, and Versailles, each showcasing his ability to blend functionality with artistic expression.
 
Throughout his career, Frutiger embraced technological advancements, from hot metal typesetting to digital typography. His work has left a lasting impact on the field of typography, and his typefaces continue to be widely used and admired. Frutiger's contributions have earned him numerous accolades and a place as one of the most influential type designers of the 20th century.