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After many years of using the iconic Futura font for its catalog design, Ikea has switched to Verdana, upsetting hard-core IKEA fans and graphic designers alike. Their point of contention? Verdana was invented by Microsoft for the computer screen, not print. Not to mention that Verdana is not nearly as pleasing to the eye.

To protest, the chattering class is up in arms. Twitter is filled with angry comments extolling the company to "stop the Verdana madness, and an online petition now has over 4,000 signatures.

According to IKEA (who made the switch because it's cheaper to use one font that works in digital and print media), "We're surprised. But I think it's mainly experts who have expressed their views, people who are interested in fonts. I don't think the broad public is that interested."

So is this important to IKEA? It depends on the scale of criticism, of course, but also on something that's not quantifiable: the depth of emotional attachment.

When a company has evangelists, it is often because that company represents core values (i.e., Apple = innovation). For IKEA, whose core values are style, chic design, and affordability, a typeface could be considered more than just a typeface: it's an emotional catalyst. When Walmart changed its logo recently, no one complained because Walmart had nowhere to go but up since its core value is low prices, not contemporary style or sleek design.

For IKEA, the Futura font is (or was) the emotional subtext to IKEA's contemporary yet familiar vibe. Which means perhaps for the purists and evangelists, switching to Verdana is a sign of something worse than a new font.

What’s IKEA's next move is a big one?