That's an opinion, not fact.

I'd say it's closer to vanilla: So versatile and distinct that it was elevated to ubiquity. Your average person would have a hard time telling you when helvetica was created or when vanilla ice cream was created. That's an achievement.

In theory. In reality it's got a ton of cultural baggage.

Ubiquity is itself a message. Each font has a personality that effects the impression of a work. So there's no escaping a work sending no message at all, except by not meeting deadlines. :)