Elmwood creates futuristic AI-based petcare app with "optimistic" designs (no, it's not a Tamagotchi)

The agency provided advice around naming, brand proposition, brand strategy, design and brand world activation, including the app’s look and feel and experience, its tone of voice guidelines, and social media activation.

“The objective was to improve pet care outcomes by meeting the wants and needs of pets, pet owners and vet professionals while also accommodating the lifestyle pressures and stresses experienced by each,” says Elmwood.

The team worked alongside veterinary experts, UX designers, lawyers, academics and strategists to ensure it satisfied pets’, owners’ and vets’ requirements; resulting in a personalised service which provides easy access to information and a recommended course of action when pet owners need advice. It also offers online consultations with vets and predictive and preventative animal care advice.

The designs use the ‘J’ of the name reflects a cradle and is used to house a series of illustrated pet characters – a dog, a bunny and a cat – which also act as brand mascots and “have names and mannerisms to bring them to life in the digital environment,” says Elmwood. The dots of the two consecutive 'i's represent the partnership between pet owners and vets. Overall, the colourful design aims for a “vibrant and optimistic” feel that works with a flexible brand mark that can be personalised and used across a variety of applications.

“The Joii team sought to develop a brand with a global reach that would connect with people in an emotional way,” says Elmwood’s Sarah Goldthorpe, the lead designer on the project.

“The aim was to avoid being overly technology focused, and instead to create assets that were memorable and iconic, sharing the story of togetherness and celebrating the joy of pets.”

The app uses machine learning in a bid to improve pet care outcomes, boost animal welfare and help with the wellbeing of concerned pet owners and vets through a free symptom checker, free nurse clinics and remote consultations with vets for £20 (refunded should the animal need to visit a clinic.) A number of pharmaceutical, healthcare and pet nutrition companies have already validated and supported the startup including Bayer, Vetoquinol, Elanco, Henry Schein and Hill’s.

Elmwood has also taken a minority stake in Joii in exchange for ongoing brand, design and marketing support.