Designing Trust: TAG Mobile’s New Visual Direction for Government-Supported Services

While working at Q Link Wireless, I had the opportunity to lead the redesign of TAG Mobile, both of which provided free cell phone service through governmental programs. Q Link’s typical design approach leaned heavily on direct marketing—a style characterized by urgency and a bold, sometimes "Insistent" tone. This approach often included saturated colors and attention-grabbing messaging, which was effective for Q Link. However, for TAG Mobile, we wanted to take a different approach.

TAG Mobile, like Q Link, was not just offering a service; it was providing a lifeline through a government-backed initiative. Recognizing this, we decided to move away from the insistent marketing style and embrace a design that would better reflect the supportive and reliable nature of the service.

For the TAG Mobile redesign, we deliberately shifted to a more governmental and customer-centric tone. We chose a palette of light, calming colors, with blue as the anchor, symbolizing reliability, security, and stability. This approach was designed to make customers feel that TAG Mobile was a trustworthy partner, not just another company trying to push a product.

This redesign was more than a visual update; it was a strategic test to see how this softer, more supportive design approach could resonate with our audience. The success of this project also served to influence and update Q Link’s broader design strategy, aligning it more closely with the values of trust and support that are central to the government program partnership.