KOBU Foundry
Open the game- Brand
- KOBU
- Objective
- Awareness
- Platform
- Web
- Agency
- KOBU Agency
Objective
KOBU Foundry, a Portuguese type foundry, aimed to differentiate itself from traditional font vendors by creating an entertainment-driven platform. Rather than selling typefaces as standalone products, the foundry sought to make font discovery engaging through interactive storytelling and retro video game mechanics inspired by 1980s–90s consoles, ultimately driving sales and expanding the reach of custom and retail typefaces globally.
Solution
KOBU Foundry built a playable platform combining typography with retro video game aesthetics. Users interact by dragging game cartridges, powering them on, and playing integrated games to unlock font collections and special offers. The debut 'Meji Adventures' collection features five typefaces (Sakasu, Tsuku, Kaito, Taiyo, Meji) connected to a narrative about a rabbit's journey through different worlds. Successful gameplay unlocks discount coupons up to 30% off. A second cartridge, 'Type Experience,' educates players on variable font capabilities. The platform was built using WordPress, CSS, HTML5, and jQuery, launching at kobufoundry.com in July 2019 following a six-month development cycle.
Results
KOBU Foundry earned Awwwards Honorable Mention in April 2020 with a community rating of 7.56/10. The project also received CSS Design Awards Special Kudos (April 20, 2020) with a score of 7.00 across UI, UX, and Innovation categories.