Kobo/Rakuten

Reading Redefined

A young woman sitting cross-legged on a bed, looking at a pink digital device, in a bright room with large windows.

Reimagining the interaction, form & materials of a 500 year old ritual.

Books have long held a special place in our hearts, serving as vessels of knowledge, stress relief, and imagination for centuries. As technology evolves with innovations like e-ink and mobile connectivity, how can we enhance this cherished ritual? Our four-year partner, Kobo (an anagram of "Book"), tasked us with the delicate challenge of redefining the reading experience across eight different reading devices.

Services:

  • Industrial Design

  • CAD Design and DFM

  • Material, colors, finishes

  • Packaging

Technology recedes, and the reading experience takes centre stage.

Person holding a tablet inside a black cover.

Paying homage to handcrafted leather book covers, each reader has a unique, soft-touch, quilted texture for tactile interactions. 

Close-up of the corner of a black tablet with volume and power buttons on the side.
Close-up of a person holding a Kobo e-reader outdoor with a blurred background of brick wall and green structure.
Technical drawing of a foldable smartphone showing top, side, and front views, including internal hinge mechanism and screen details.
Close-up of a black surface with a white 'kobo' logo and an open book icon underneath.
Person wearing a blue sweater, carrying a camouflage backpack and a Kobo e-reader, standing against a brick wall.

Minimalistic views for a calm reading experience free of visual distractions.

A person holding a white e-reader with reading material displayed on the screen, sunlight streaming through a window in the background.
Two Kobo e-readers, one in color and one in grayscale, display books and categories on a light gray background.
A collection of multiple color e-readers, with the white one in the center displaying an e-book and others displaying different pages in the background.
Close-up view of the inside of a black electronic device, showing a green circuit board with various components including a chip, connectors, and a barcode sticker.

We retooled the technical layout, organizing components in service of the reading experience, minimizing wrist fatigue, and increasing hand feel.

The image shows two Kobo e-readers in their packaging boxes. The larger box is blue and labeled 'kobo arc', displaying an image of the tablet with colorful book covers on its screen. The smaller box is teal, labeled 'kobo mini', showing a hand holding an e-reader displaying a page of a book. Both boxes are placed on a reflective surface.

Colors, materials, finishes and packaging, were crafted for a unified brand experience. Integrated covers allowed personalized accessories with no penalty to device thickness.

A woman in a pink shirt using a smartphone.
A woman with long brown hair wearing a red sleeveless top is holding a pink tablet with the brand name 'kobo' while looking at it, near a large window with sunlight streaming in.

Impact

1

Red Dot Award

20+

Countries Worldwide

45M+

Users

Close-up of a black wristwatch with a round face, yellow and white hands, and a black strap.
A black sports helmet with vent holes and straps, photographed against a dark background.
Close-up of the front of a white Land Rover Rover vehicle, showing the headlight, grille, and side mirror.
Close-up of a cyclist wearing a full-face red, blue, yellow, and white helmet with Red Bull branding and a matching red racing jersey.
White N95 respirator mask with yellow and gray straps and clear plastic face shield
Crowd of people celebrating outdoors, some holding flags and making peace signs, at a sunny event.
A blue flag with the IMT logo and the text "Build the Future" flying on a metal flagpole against a clear blue sky.
Woman in pink dress sitting cross-legged on a bed, using a red tablet in a bright room with large windows.
Red Bull Tour Bus with illuminated logo on the side, inside a stage with bright lights and musical equipment.
A person wearing a helmet and goggles skiing through deep snow, creating a cloud of snow around them.