Everyone uses fonts, of course, and they're an important factor in how people perceive a brand. A lot of work goes into the subtleties that people don't necessarily notice but will definitely "feel."

Companies might start out paying these "off the shelf" prices, but everything in life is negotiable and they'll eventually work out a better deal. However, now the company has tied their brand identity to a typeface that is being licensed to them with a variable cost. So eventually, they may commission a custom typeface which could offer the potential of full ownership without perpetual fees.