It is generally believed that Morris Fuller Benton drew on two earlier typefaces for his 1914 design of Souvenir: Schelter-Antiqua and Schelter-Kursiv from Germany’s Schelter & Giesecke foundry.

The International Typeface Corporation version was drawn by Ed Benguiat in 1970. This typeface is rounded and very informal in appearance, evoking a nostalgic friendly feeling.

It is often used in college catalogs or brochures, as well as with advertising or packaging.