If you’ve never noticed it before, 7-Eleven’s logo uses a mix of upper and lowercase letters (ELEVEn). Also, the ‘E’ doesn’t align with the top edge of the 7 and the center alignment of the logo is off. The design community is abuzz on this topic after a Reddit thread brought these capitalization and symmetrical imperfections to light.
So is this a design error, or is there more to it?
UK-based graphic designer Will Patterson, who specializes in logo design and brand identity, has come up with an interesting video that shows why 7-Eleven’s logo is “optically perfect” despite being symmetrically imperfect. Patterson shares 7 lessons he’s learnt from the 7-Eleven logo and why it’s okay to break design rules sometimes.
Watch below
01:31 – Go against the grain
02:28 – Great design is silent
04:20 – Mathematical center isn’t always optical center
05:20 – Symmetry isn’t everything
05:58 – Sometimes, it just works
06:38 – Good design just passes you by
07:14 – It’s okay to break the rules
What do you think? Share this post with a designer friend and voice your views in the comments below.