SuperFamily Mart: A Fresh Collaboration from Tokotype and Copyright/Reserved
Located at grammars, Bandung, Tokotype and Copyright/Reserved (C/R) inaugurated their collaboration project titled SuperFamily Mart this past December 22. Adapting the format of a supermarket, SuperFamily Mart is a site -specific exhibition that offers its audience a new experience. Through eye-candy visuals full of cheer, the audience is invited to peruse its various products just as you would when shopping.
On the conception of this collaboration, Putri Larasati, Creative Director at C/R, explained that Tokotype invited C/R to create non-digital visual output products using fonts created by Tokotype. She mentioned that Tokotype’s retail fonts are mostly applied in the digital format, especially with a number of their commercial clients. “In this case, the division of tasks was set with Tokotype as the font provider and Copy/Reserved as the design studio that creates the concept and visual output based on the chosen font,” Putri elaborated. “One of Tokotype’s retail fonts, Leksikal, was chosen due to its heavy weight and [we] wanted to show the versatility, adaptability, and robustness of that font.”
The collaboration between teh two began last February. A print poster was released at the Singapore Art Book Fair as a test run of their collaboration. “It turns out that when [the font] is applied on merch or physical products, the audience response is very good as the material is considered light and fun,” Putri explained. As such, the exploration within that collaboration continued on into the creation of SuperFamily Mart. Putri stated, "We chose the supermarket as the theme as it is a theme that is very familiar to the general public." Through SuperFamily Mart, Tokotype and C/R showcased the application of the Leksikal fonst in a variety of forms and designs.
Using the Leksikal font, the visual identity of this program is C/R's cheeky response to the Family Mart logo that is very recognisable to the public. "We took the main identity from a bootleg Family Mart logo because we want the audience to be able to have a fun experience without barriers like technicalities, [design] knowledge and the likes. So, visitors can come as members of both the general public as well as design enthusiasts." Putri explained. "Furthermore, several of the packaging designs could be made witty by translating the original packaging design into our bootleg spin so that everyone who visits can have some fun and we can bring a smile to the face of the audience, especially during the holiday season."
To create an extraordinary experience that adds to the cheer, in this project, Tokotype and C/R invited DSH to create an interactive simulator that could be used by the audience. Through that simulator, the audience could test and explore each feature of the Leksikal font firsthand through gadgets and sharing it through social media. Not stopping with DSH, Tokotype and C/R also collaborated with several Bandung-based brands in the creation of these products. "For example, we collaborated with SYMA to create a limited collection which includes the Extra Fruity Sling Bag, with patches inspired by fruit stickers, and the Grocery Ready Foldable Tote Bag. They also collaborated with Olah Plastic to create keychains and tube squeezers made from 100% recycled polypropylene," Putri elaborated.
For Tokotype, this project is a gateway for further collaboration with multiple parties. "SuperFamily Mart with C/R is a pilot project for Tokotype for future collaborations with design studios, brands, or [other] organisations to create visual interpretations of Tokotype's retail and commercial fonts," Gumpita Rahayu, Design Principal at Tokotype, explained. Aside from showcasing applications of the Leksikal font and the sale of creative products, SuperFamily Mart also presented the release of the Leksikal font through a speakers event with Tokotype, Aditya Wiraatmaja, DSH, and C/R on December 23, 2023. SuperFamily Mart is open for visitors until January 22.
