A Vibrant Online Community frog wanted users to engage more fully with the Virgin Mobile website and the youth culture it represents. So we created an on-screen editorial magazine right there on the homepage, connecting users to interviews with musicians, articles on art and community trends, links to other youth sites, and local community service opportunities.

This new section isn’t trying to sell anything to its consumers; it’s trying to connect them to the things they care about. And in the process, it shows that Virgin Mobile is more than just a service provider. Visually, frog moved the site towards a young, sleek new look, deepening Virgin’s trademark red and replacing bright pictures with a darker color scheme. The font chosen for internal headlines is reminiscent of the stenciled lettering of protest posters and urban graffiti. And war-chalking is subtly incorporated through a singular, stenciled image at the bottom of the screen, an intriguing clue that brings users who click it to a related Virgin Mobile viral information campaign. Attracting interest without giving everything away up front.

Practically, we focused upon simplifying the website, allowing customers to research phones and find community info without a fuss. Promotions were moved off the home page and replaced by a clean, new layout, with separate sections on products, rates, features, and culture. A task bar at the top and sitemap at the bottom of every screen make it even simpler to get around. An Easy Upgrade The site’s combined emphasis on product information and culture encourages young customers to check it out, making it both easier to browse and easier to buy. And because frog completed not only the design, but much of the front-end coding for project, Virgin Mobile was able to launch the website only a few weeks after designs were finalized, an incredibly fast turn-around.