My next stage of development focuses on bringing my established idea and problem to life through visual identity and brand design. Having defined fuel assistance as the core issue I aim to address, this phase will explore how the concept can be shaped visually for real-world use. I will develop a suitable name, colour palette, and supporting design elements to form a clear and accessible identity for my target users. This stage is essential in transforming the idea into a recognisable and engaging solution.
The first area I chose to tackle within this stage was defining a suitable name for my app concept. The name needed to be catchy, modern, and approachable, while still reflecting the supportive, beneficial, and accessible nature of the service. As this was a new area of exploration within my project, I began by mind mapping a range of possible name directions to generate ideas freely before narrowing them down. This helped me gain a feel for different tones and identities without directly linking the name to traditional assistance or fuel station terminology, allowing for a more engaging and contemporary brand direction.
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Looking back at the origins of fuel station assistance allowed me to connect my idea with a sense of trusted, human support. The word “jockey” continues to resonate with me as it symbolises guidance, service, and dependable help.
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After reviewing and exploring a wide range of possible names, I felt that relating my app to the history of fuel assistance created the strongest and most meaningful connection to my concept. Full-service stations and fuel attendants were once a standard part of the refuelling experience, yet this level of support has largely disappeared in modern society. Reintroducing this idea in a contemporary, digital form felt both relevant and significant. The term jockey reflects this history well, representing hands-on service, reliability, and human support. A peer also suggested adding a modern twist to the traditional term, resulting in the name Jokki, which lends a more playful and contemporary feel while still maintaining its historical roots. At this stage, I am satisfied with this direction and will continue to develop the project under this name.
After establishing a basic foundation for the potential name of my idea, I moved into the next stage of development by creating a wordmark to strengthen and define my assistant’s brand identity. This stage focuses on exploring the history and meaning behind the name while also ensuring it remains catchy, modern, and visually appealing for users. By doing this, I aimed to create a design that not only looks engaging but also clearly represents the personality and purpose of my brand from the very beginning.
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Mitr was chosen for its bold, modern letterforms, which help the Jokki wordmark feel confident, clear, and highly legible across digital screens. Its rounded yet structured style allows the brand to stand out while remaining friendly and accessible for all users.
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The creation of my wordmark focused on building a strong visual identity that reflects both the historical roots and modern purpose of the Jokki brand. The Mitr typeface was chosen for its bold, clean, and highly legible form, allowing the name to stand out clearly across digital platforms while remaining friendly and accessible for users. The overall structure of the wordmark offers a contemporary take on a service that was once common and highly valued, helping translate traditional fuel assistance into a modern digital solution for those who need support. Early colour exploration included red and white tones inspired by classic fuel station palettes to reinforce familiarity and recognition. These choices are still in a testing phase and will be refined further to ensure they meet accessibility standards and align with the overall brand tone.
After establishing the wordmark and finalising the name for my product, I wanted to expand further on my colour choices, having briefly explored them during the early branding stages. My main goal for the palette was to create a selection that directly correlates with the history behind the name and the visual identity of traditional fuel stations. To inform this, I researched retro fuel stations and attendants to gain a clearer understanding of their colours, style, and overall aesthetic. This allowed me to explore how those historic visual elements could be translated into a modern, accessible design for Jokki.
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I felt it would be most effective to correlate the colours of these retro stations and styles into my pitch, particularly the recurring use of red and white that consistently appears across this era of fuel imagery.
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I believe these colour choices are highly effective in representing both the values and visual identity of my brand. While the palette may appear simple, the use of red and white creates a strong sense of recognition, clarity, and trust, all of which align closely with Jokki’s purpose of providing reliable and accessible support. Visually, the contrast between these colours helps key elements stand out clearly for users, supporting accessibility and ease of use. I feel that once a complete brand identity is fully established and these colours are applied consistently across my mockups and illustrations, they will strengthen the overall impact and professionalism of the product.