7-Eleven LOGO | SEVEN Lessons I've learned❓

Summary

In this video, the presenter explores the 7-Eleven logo, discussing its design flaws and the lessons learned from it. They emphasize the importance of breaking design norms, the subtlety of great design, and the optical illusion of centering. The video also touches on the insignificance of symmetry in logo design and the power of simplicity. The presenter concludes by advocating for the courage to break rules in design, using the 7-Eleven logo as a prime example of successful rule-breaking in design.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 7-Eleven logo is filled with design 'faults' that are actually intentional and effective choices.
• 🔍 The logo's design features, such as the lowercase 'n' and the not fully centered elements, are deliberate and contribute to its recognizability.
• 🎨 The video emphasizes that going against the norm and breaking design rules can lead to creative and impactful logos.
• 🤫 'Great design is silent' - The 7-Eleven logo's subtle design choices are often unnoticed but enhance its visual appeal.
• 📏 Mathematical centering is not always the same as optical centering; the logo's alignment is more pleasing to the eye than perfectly centered.
• 🔄 Symmetry is not crucial for a logo's success; the 7-Eleven logo works well despite not being perfectly symmetrical.
• 👀 Sometimes design elements 'just work' even if they don't adhere to traditional guidelines, as seen in the 7-Eleven logo's inconsistent arch spacing.
• 🚀 Good design can be so effective that it goes unnoticed, seamlessly conveying the brand's identity without drawing attention to itself.
• 🛠 It's important to understand design rules in order to know when and how to break them effectively, as demonstrated by the 7-Eleven logo.
• 🌐 Squarespace is highlighted as a platform for designers to create professional websites easily, which can also serve as a portfolio for their work.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is an analysis of the 7-Eleven logo, discussing its design elements and what can be learned from it.

What is the video sponsored by?

The video is sponsored by Squarespace.

Why does the designer believe the 7-Eleven logo is filled with faults?

The designer believes the logo is filled with faults because it has elements that go against traditional design rules, such as not being fully centered and having inconsistent capitalization.

What is one of the key takeaways from the 7-Eleven logo according to the designer?

One key takeaway is that going against the grain and breaking traditional design rules can lead to creative and impactful logos.

What does the designer mean by 'Great design is silent'?

The designer means that great design is often so effective and unobtrusive that people don't consciously notice it, but it still serves its purpose well.

Why does the designer believe the 'N' in the 7-Eleven logo is in lowercase?

The designer suggests that the lowercase 'N' may have been chosen to maintain the visual flow and balance of the logo, rather than for design flair.

What does the designer learn about the importance of symmetry in logo design from the 7-Eleven logo?

The designer learns that symmetry isn't everything and that a logo can be effective and recognizable without being perfectly symmetrical.

What is the designer's opinion on the 7-Eleven logo's alignment?

The designer notes that the logo is not optically aligned but still appears centered to the eye, indicating that optical centering can sometimes be more important than mathematical centering.

What does the designer suggest about the importance of following design rules?

The designer suggests that it's okay to break design rules when you understand them, as it can lead to more innovative and effective designs.

Why does the designer mention starting to paint?

The designer mentions starting to paint as a way to break free from the rules of typography and logo design, allowing for more creativity and boldness in their work.

What is the purpose of the Squarespace promotion in the video?

The purpose of the Squarespace promotion is to provide an example of a platform where designers can create professional-looking websites easily and affordably to showcase their portfolios or blogs.

How does the designer feel about the 7-Eleven logo's functionality and aesthetics?

The designer appreciates the functionality of the 7-Eleven logo and finds the way it was made to be clever and effective, even though it's not a style or color scheme they would personally brand themselves with.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Exploring the 7-Eleven Logo's Unique Design

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the 7-Eleven logo, highlighting perceived 'faults' that have been the subject of online debate. The speaker emphasizes that these design choices are not mistakes but rather intentional and creative decisions that have been in place since 1969. Key points include the logo's non-centered alignment, the mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, and the unconventional approach to typography that challenges traditional design rules. The speaker also shares personal insights, such as the importance of going against the norm to make an impact in the design industry and the idea that great design is often so effective it goes unnoticed.

05:02

🎨 Lessons in Logo Design from 7-Eleven

The second paragraph delves deeper into the lessons that can be learned from the 7-Eleven logo. The speaker points out that mathematical centering does not always equate to optical centering, and that trust in one's eyes is crucial over automated design tools. The paragraph also touches on the idea that symmetry is not always essential for a functional and recognizable logo. The speaker acknowledges that sometimes design elements 'just work' despite not adhering to typical standards. Additionally, the paragraph discusses the concept that good design can be so seamless that it goes unnoticed, and the importance of understanding design rules in order to effectively break them when necessary. The speaker concludes by thanking Squarespace for sponsoring the video and promoting the platform as an easy and affordable solution for designers to showcase their work.

Keywords

💡7-Eleven logo

The 7-Eleven logo is the central subject of the video, representing a design that has been in use since 1969. It is characterized by its unique use of capital and lowercase letters, and its distinctive visual elements that break traditional design rules. The video discusses how this logo, despite its perceived 'faults', has become iconic and effective in brand recognition.

💡Faults

In the context of the video, 'faults' refer to the perceived design imperfections in the 7-Eleven logo, such as the lack of full centering and the mix of uppercase and lowercase letters. These faults are actually discussed as design choices that contribute to the logo's distinctiveness and memorability.

💡Centering

The concept of centering in the video is explored in terms of both mathematical and optical alignment. The speaker explains that the 7-Eleven logo is not mathematically centered, but it appears optically centered to the human eye, demonstrating the difference between the two and the importance of visual balance over strict symmetry.

💡Typography

Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible and appealing. In the video, the speaker discusses how the 7-Eleven logo breaks traditional typographic rules, such as the use of a lowercase 'n' among uppercase letters, to achieve a more visually pleasing and memorable design.

💡Design Flair

Design flair refers to the unique and creative elements that make a design stand out. The video mentions that the lowercase 'n' in the 7-Eleven logo adds a design flair, making it more visually interesting and contributing to its recognizability.

💡Optical Centering

Optical centering is the visual perception of balance in a design, which may not align with strict mathematical centering. The video explains that the 7-Eleven logo is an example of optical centering, where the elements appear balanced to the viewer even though they are not perfectly aligned mathematically.

💡Symmetry

Symmetry in design refers to the balance of elements on either side of a central axis. The video points out that the 7-Eleven logo is not symmetrical, challenging the notion that symmetry is essential for a successful logo and emphasizing that functionality and recognition can take precedence.

💡Creativity

Creativity in the context of the video is the ability to transcend traditional rules and norms to produce unique and impactful designs. The 7-Eleven logo is highlighted as an example of creative design that goes against the grain, demonstrating that breaking the rules can lead to innovative and memorable outcomes.

💡Brand Recognition

Brand recognition is the ability of consumers to identify a product or service by its logo or other visual elements. The video discusses how the 7-Eleven logo, despite its unconventional design, has achieved high brand recognition, making it instantly identifiable to consumers.

💡Simplicity

Simplicity in design refers to the use of basic elements and a clear, uncluttered layout to convey a message or represent a brand. The video describes the 7-Eleven logo as simple yet effective, illustrating that a straightforward design can be powerful in communicating a brand's identity.

💡Squarespace

Squarespace is a website building platform mentioned in the video as the sponsor. It is highlighted for its ease of use, allowing individuals to create professional-looking websites, including portfolios for designers, which can showcase their work and contribute to their professional growth.

Highlights

The 7-Eleven logo is filled with design faults according to a designer's post, sparking a discussion on its unconventional elements.

The video aims to explore the 7-Eleven logo's design rather than mocking it, focusing on learning from its unique aspects.

The logo features a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, with the 'N' at the end being lowercase, which is an unusual choice.

The logo has been in use since 1969, indicating its effectiveness despite the perceived design 'mistakes'.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of going against the grain in design to make an impact and be truly creative.

Great design is often silent and goes unnoticed, as it effectively communicates without drawing attention to its design elements.

Mathematical centering in design does not always equate to optical centering, as demonstrated by the 7-Eleven logo's alignment.

Symmetry is not always essential in logo design; the 7-Eleven logo's lack of symmetry does not detract from its functionality.

The logo's design elements, such as the arch inside the '7', may not be consistent, but if they work, they work, showing that not everything needs to be perfect.

Good design can be so effective that it passes by unnoticed, yet it still communicates the necessary information clearly.

Breaking the rules in design is acceptable when you understand the rules, as demonstrated by the 7-Eleven logo's unconventional elements.

The speaker shares personal experiences with painting to break free from design rules and find creativity in rule-breaking.

The 7-Eleven logo's success lies in its cleverness and functionality, despite not adhering to traditional design principles.

Squarespace is highlighted as a platform for designers to create professional-looking websites easily and affordably.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to support the channel and take advantage of a Squarespace discount.

Transcripts

hey guys what's going on it's people

passing here with another video and

today I am talking about the 7-eleven

logo this video is brought to you by

Squarespace

already I saw a post from a designer

basically talking about the 7-eleven

logo and how it's filled with lots of

faults this is kind of like the similar

to the Google logo and I wanted to make

a video this week not having a joke

about it but just giving you some things

that I've learned from this logo some of

the things that the redditors were

talking about were the fact that the let

the actual logo isn't fully centered and

certain parts of it don't really matter

add up as well as the most known

uppercase and lowercase letters in the

same logo now these things you may look

at and just think for a second okay and

then you'll look at it again and notice

that there's capital letters with all

the other letters apart on the N at the

end and you'll notice that and at the

end is a lowercase letter and you'll

become like oh yeah that is a lowercase

letter how did they pull that off well

I'm here to tell you today about these

things again I don't think our mistakes

I'm looking online and I've never seen a

7-eleven in my life I live in the UK I'm

not too sure if they have 7-elevens here

but I see them on TV when I'm watching

American programs and I've done some

research and the logo has been with them

since 1969 before you guys start

thinking that I'm just gonna be slating

as logo I am NOT slating him I don't

really slate anyone's logo I just want

to learn from them so here's seven

things I've learned about the 7/11 logo

the first thing I've learned is to go

against the grain to be truly creative

and to truly make an impact in the logo

design industry we need to go against

the norm and go against what people

expect from a logo this is something

that's really difficult to do because we

are trained to follow rules

now I've just started painting and the

reason why I started painting was so I

could really just break the rules and

the regulations of typography and logo

design and since then I've been creating

things that I kind of break in the rules

and after seeing this logo I've been

able to understand how these rules are

broken going against the grain

creatively and going against the grain

with rules

in place or what people expect of logo I

think these things are really key to go

against sometimes and to know when to go

against them it allows you to come up

with new concepts that you never thought

you would ever come up with and it

allows you to be the trendsetter in the

industry that you're in the second thing

that I've learned especially with this

logo design is great design is silent if

you're a freelancer or a human being for

example you want to create stuff that is

seen and that people go wow look at that

that looks amazing we all want that

recognition we all want that kind of

song going wow you know I used to base

my successes on my projects when someone

went Wow kind of like how I base my

YouTube success on the amount of views I

get on a video which means more payment

which means a better life for me but

this quote I'm not too sure where it

comes from but great design is literally

silent if you look at the 7/11 logo as

I've said before there is caps on all

the letter forms aside from the N at the

end why was this done was it because

they wanted just to add a bit of a

design Flair no I think it's because it

looks a better and it is read better a

lot of the registers have been saying

that the actual seven is kind of like

rounded and it follows the swoosh of the

roundedness of the seven whereas if you

had an uppercase n on the eleven logo

then it would be too rigid and it

wouldn't follow the flow it would have

still worked but it may not have looked

as good and this is something that I've

never really realized before that if you

showed me this little guy I wouldn't

have said why is that got a lowercase n

I would just say yeah that's a 7/11 logo

and I would have even given a second

thought

that is why good design is Salim we've

never even noticed these things I've

learned that the the signs that you see

on the road that just tell you where to

go or the applications to tell you where

to go like you know maps and stuff on

your phone when you are easily able to

navigate them and just have a quick

glance and still look at the road whilst

you're driving that is great design it

is so silent no one talks about it they

just expect it and it's so easy for the

brain to consume the third thing I've

learned from the seven

logo and I've also learned it from the

Google logo is mathematically centering

isn't always optically centering if you

go to illustrator and you're creating a

logo will always Center things by using

the align function so we always align

the objects to the centre of the art

border so an image the problem with this

is that sometimes it doesn't work as I

explained in the Google logo all the g's

and the O's in actual font ah overshot

all the J's and O's overshoot to

compensate and to optically make the

logo look correct the same is for

alignment if you see the 7/11 logo it

doesn't it isn't actually aligned it's

not optically aligned the ears not

optically aligned with the actual seven

the orange part of it and it's not even

fully centered but the eye sees it

assented so I've learned not to trust my

align feature all time but to trust my

eyes more and to know that you know if I

see it better in this certain alignment

then I'm going to keep it at that

alignment the fourth thing that I

learned is symmetry isn't everything

a lot of logo designs are kind of

balanced and symmetrical the 7/11 logo

on the other hand isn't balanced or

symmetrical to the point of what I would

be classes satisfied with but yes again

it surprises me just looking and

studying this logo after all you guys

are read it we're talking about it

that it doesn't have to be symmetrical

symmetry isn't everything this is what

I've learned you can create something so

functional and easy as just to have a

quick glance know what it is and it

works symmetry doesn't have to be there

in your designs and that's something

that I regret saying but you have to

have a symmetrical logo the fifth thing

that I've learnt which is kind of a

general point is sometimes it just works

some people were pointing out that the

7/11 logo the arch inside it isn't

actually consistent in space and it

doesn't align to the top of the seven no

one's really seen this before

until they probably have but they

haven't posted about it before until now

because people are looking into the logo

maybe we designers all of us can be

guilty of that looking at work and over

analyzing it and making sure everything

is consistently in weight and

consistently mathematically and all

these sorts of things that we just

don't really realize that if it works it

works the sixth thing that I've learned

is that good design just passes you by

this logo is so simple yet so

complicated in the way that it was

probably made the people that made these

maybes decisions for a reason and good

owes them because they flip it made a

really cool logo it's not something that

I would brand myself with it's not

colors that I particularly like but the

functionality of it is the art of it and

you know if I was walking down the

street it would just pass me by but it

gets me to know what the name of the

store is it lets me know more about the

company and why it's there

the fact that it's so cleverly made

makes me ecstatic and finally number

seven it's okay to break the rules when

you know the rules of design you are

able to more likely break them and I

think sometimes design doesn't need to

just have a day where we break the rules

like I said at the start of the video I

just started painting nothing fancy just

abstract art where I can just literally

get some paper or paint on a canvas and

literally just paint for no reason just

to get paint on the canvas and this is

giving me so much freedom in the way

that I can create something that it's

given me a bit more boldness when it

comes to going outside the box in a logo

design or going outside the box and a

business card design changing the way

that people perceive logo designs and

why they're created it is okay to

sometimes break the rules you can see it

in the seven-eleven logo that the logo

isn't centered there's a few things that

you know designers wouldn't hold to

forcefully but in practice as you can

see here it works really well and I

think it's very clever I just want to

give a huge thank you to Squarespace for

sponsoring this video if you're a

designer looking for clients and you

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and it doesn't take a wizard to actually

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I made the website look really nice for

any clients going on there and it just

works I don't have to worry about my web

designer fixing the design of the

website

it's so easy for me to do if you'd like

10% of Squarespace then click that link

down in the description below and it'll

help support the channel and keep these

videos coming to you every time I upload

guys thanks so much for watching and

I'll catch you in the next video see you

soon

[Music]

[Applause]