Designed for the launch of DSType’s line of new premium typefaces in 2008, this workhorse sans serif was developed with a focus on neutrality and editorial applications. Dos Santos had already experienced a good deal of positive feedback and success with two preceding, calligraphy-based font families– the Andrade font family and the Ventura font family.

Prelo was a decided move away from the historical Andrade and Ventura, which had been created, in part, in homage to Portuguese calligraphy, a niche Dos Santos felt had too little exposure in the typography world at large. Prelo, on the other hand, was intended as an entirely modern, neutral, and multi-purpose font. Its soft, finely traced curves enhance its legibility, while its unbiased ethos allows for its partnering with a wide array of serif typefaces.

It works well with the Prelo Slab™ font family, its serif version, both of which are employed in partnership in various publications. Prelo has become a favorite for both editorial and information design and is used by publications as diverse as the Diário de São Paulo, News Day out of Zimbabwe, and The Observer.

References:
60 Brilliant Typefaces for Corporate Design
MagCulture: The new Observer

Prelo was used for communication support during the Pope’s visit to Portugal in 2010. It was also employed along with its serif companion, Prelo Slab, in the redesign of UK paper, The Observer, in 2010. In 2011, USA Today started using Prelo for some main story headlines.