Helvetica was created in 1957 as Neue Haas Grotesk, aiming for a no-frills sans-serif style. It was renamed Helvetica for international markets and grew popular for its simplicity. Associated with many major companies, Helvetica became one of the most commonly used typefaces globally thanks to its clean, minimalist design that stood out against more elaborate fonts of the time. Today it remains widely used despite competition from similar sans-serif styles.