This terrifying alteration to an otherwise appealing font was achieved through one simple change. The kerning, or the space between each letter, is randomly altered so that some letters are touching while others are far apart. The result is extremely disconcerting to look at, leaving the viewer with a slightly dizzy and disoriented feeling. It’s wrong, but only by a little bit, which somehow makes it more aggravating.
Helvetica, the normal version, is one of the most widely used typefaces of the modern era. It appears everywhere from the New York City subway to income tax forms to all iPhones before 2015. For the sake of everyone’s sanity, let’s hope none of those platforms decide to adopt Hellvetica.
