BETWEEN LETTERS AND LIGHT: JAKE MURTAUGH ON THE ART OF TYPE AND THE STORIES WE SEE

As Digital Operations Manager at Monotype, Jake Murtaugh works at the crossroads of design, technology and storytelling. Neither fully developer nor designer, he bridges disciplines to shape how fonts are experienced online, while nurturing a parallel passion for film photography and visual memory.

“Fonts are more than words. They tell a story, help sell a point, or evoke memories and feelings … It’s a visual cue, almost instant, no matter what the words themselves say.”

For Jake Murtaugh, typography is not merely a matter of aesthetics or legibility; it is an emotional shorthand, a subtle but powerful storyteller. As Digital Operations Manager at Monotype, the global type design company whose library includes some of the world’s most recognisable typefaces, Murtaugh operates in the space where creativity meets code, and where visual nuance meets digital precision.

His role is difficult to distil into a single description. He is not formally a developer, though he writes and tweaks code when needed. He is not a type designer, yet he plays a crucial part in shaping how Monotype’s fonts are presented, discovered and experienced online. Instead, he occupies a hybrid position, translating between disciplines and ensuring that the company’s digital platforms communicate the richness of its typographic heritage.

In an age when branding battles are fought on screens measured in inches and attention spans are counted in seconds, the way a font is displayed online can be as important as the font itself. Murtaugh’s work ensures that when designers, marketers and curious browsers explore Monotype’s catalogue, they encounter type not as static samples but as living, expressive tools.

“Type is often the first thing people see,” he says. “Before they process the message, they’ve already formed an impression.” That impression may be one of authority, warmth, playfulness or tradition. A serif can suggest heritage and trustworthiness; a geometric sans serif might evoke modernity and clarity. The shapes of letters become ambassadors for brands, publications and campaigns.

Monotype, founded in the late nineteenth century and responsible for stewarding classics such as Helvetica, Times New Roman and Gill Sans, sits at the centre of this visual language. Yet the company’s evolution from hot metal type to digital font licensing and brand partnerships has required not only design excellence but technological agility. It is here that Murtaugh’s role becomes pivotal.

He helps oversee the systems and processes that support Monotype’s digital presence, ensuring that the online experience reflects both the craftsmanship of its type designers and the practical needs of its global clientele. This might involve refining the way fonts are previewed on the website, improving search and filtering tools, or collaborating with engineers and designers to roll out new features.

The challenge lies in balancing artistry with functionality. “You want the technology to disappear,” Murtaugh explains. “The goal is for the user to focus on the type and what it makes them feel, not on how the site works.” Achieving that seamlessness, however, requires meticulous attention behind the scenes.

His path into this role was not strictly linear. Like many working at the intersection of creative and technical fields, Murtaugh cultivated a broad skill set rather than following a single-track specialism. An interest in digital systems combined with an appreciation for visual storytelling drew him towards a position that would allow both to coexist.

That duality is reflected in his life outside the office. Murtaugh is an avid film photographer, with a collection of cameras that speaks to both nostalgia and curiosity. In a world dominated by instant digital imagery, his preference for analogue processes mirrors his sensitivity to form and texture.

Film photography demands patience. There is no immediate preview, no rapid-fire deletion of imperfect frames. Instead, each shot is deliberate, shaped by light, composition and anticipation. The result, when developed, often carries a tangible sense of atmosphere — grain, colour shifts, subtle imperfections that digital clarity can sometimes erase.

For Murtaugh, the parallels with typography are clear. Just as a particular film stock can alter the mood of an image, a typeface can transform the tone of a message. Both are mediums through which stories are filtered and framed.

His camera collection is not simply an accumulation of objects; it is a catalogue of experiences and eras. Each piece of equipment represents a different way of seeing, much like each typeface embodies a distinct voice. The tactile act of loading film, adjusting aperture and hearing the mechanical click of a shutter offers a counterpoint to the pixel-based precision of his daily work.

This sensitivity to visual cues informs how he approaches digital operations. He understands that users respond not only to efficiency but to atmosphere. The layout of a webpage, the spacing around text, the interplay between font samples and imagery — all contribute to an overarching narrative about the brand.

At Monotype, that narrative is one of heritage and innovation intertwined. The company’s archive spans centuries of typographic evolution, yet its future depends on adapting to new technologies, from responsive web design to variable fonts. These innovations allow typefaces to shift weight, width and other attributes dynamically, offering designers unprecedented flexibility.

Ensuring that such capabilities are communicated clearly online requires more than technical documentation. It demands storytelling — the ability to show, rather than simply tell, what a font can do. Murtaugh’s role involves collaborating across teams to create those experiences, blending data-driven insights with creative instinct.

He is particularly attuned to the emotional resonance of type in everyday life. From street signs to smartphone interfaces, fonts shape our perception of the world. They can reassure us in moments of uncertainty — think of the familiar typography of a trusted newspaper — or energise us with bold, unconventional forms in advertising.

“People might not always consciously notice a font,” he reflects, “but they feel it.” That feeling can influence whether a message is taken seriously, whether a brand feels authentic, whether a story lingers.

In an era of rapid digital transformation, the role of someone like Murtaugh underscores the importance of interdisciplinary thinking. As businesses strive to create cohesive brand experiences across platforms, the silos between design, development and operations are dissolving. The most compelling digital environments are those where technical infrastructure quietly supports creative ambition.

Murtaugh embodies that ethos. Comfortable enough with code to troubleshoot and experiment, yet grounded in an appreciation for aesthetics, he acts as a conduit between specialists. His work ensures that Monotype’s vast typographic library is not only accessible but inspiring.

There is, perhaps, a quiet poetry in his professional and personal pursuits. Both typography and film photography revolve around capturing and conveying meaning through visual form. Both require an understanding of how subtle variations — in weight, contrast, exposure or framing — can alter interpretation.

As screens continue to mediate our interactions, the significance of these visual cues only intensifies. Brands compete for recognition in crowded feeds; readers scroll through oceans of content. In such an environment, the smallest details can make the strongest impression.

For Jake Murtaugh, those details are where stories begin. Whether through the curve of a letter or the grain of a photograph, he is drawn to the moments when design transcends function and becomes feeling. And in ensuring that fonts are experienced not just as text but as voices, he helps shape the silent language that speaks to us all.