Branding · Web Design · AI Playbooks

Big ideas,
made simple.

We help startups and small businesses build brands people remember, websites that convert, and AI-powered playbooks that replace the need for expensive agencies.

Explore Services → Browse Playbooks
See what we do
Full service
Branding + Web + Strategy
You focus on your business.
We handle the brand.

Strategy-first creative from people who've built 50+ brands. We bring the expertise, the taste, and the systems. You get a brand that turns heads, and a team who actually cares.

Name + Frame
From $950
Logo, tagline, brand kit
Brand Sprint
From $2,500
Full brand in 2 weeks
Idea Engine
From $1,500/mo
On-demand creative
Decades of craft
Real-world results across AU, NZ, and the US. Not a template business.
No guesswork
Every decision is explained. You'll know the why, not just the what.
Honest pricing
No retainer traps. No scope creep. No invoices that appear from nowhere.
See all services → Talk to us first
Just browsing? The thinking behind everything we do is in the blog →
AI-powered
AI Playbooks — $99 one-off
We learnt it.
Now you can do it yourself.

Everything we know about growing a business with digital marketing, packed into a personalised interactive playbook with embedded AI. No agency. No subscription. No mystery. We know what agencies charge for this, because we are one.

Price
$99
One payment, yours forever
Setup time
Under 2 hrs
Click or copy-paste only
Ongoing cost
$0/mo
No subscriptions, ever
Built for your business
Your name, your location, your services. Not a generic template you fill in.
Always current
Every section has an AI update button. One click, fresh info. Never goes stale.
No dependency
No check-ups, no ongoing help. The playbook makes you independent. That's the point.
Browse playbooks →
Feelin' stingy? Help yourself to the free stuff in the blog → — no email required.
Why PlainBlack

We cut the crap

Most agencies guard the mystery and keep you dependent. We do the opposite. We show you how it works, build you the tools, and get out of the way.

🎯

Strategy First

Every project starts with understanding your business, your audience, and what actually moves the needle. No fluff workshops or 200-page strategy docs.

💡

Ideas That Stick

Our specialty is ideation. Fresh directions, unforgettable campaigns, and brands that connect with real people. Not templates from 2014.

🚀

Built To Fly Solo

We design, we guide, we show you the how. When the time comes to fly solo, you can. Great creative should help you grow, not hold you hostage.

What We Do

Services + Products

Two ways to work with us. Hands-on branding services for businesses that want a partner, and self-serve AI playbooks for owners who want to do it themselves.

Branding Service

Name & Frame

Give your business a name people actually remember

3 to 5 name concepts, a tagline that sells the vibe, domain and trademark sanity checks, and a starter brand kit. Done in weeks, not months.

From $950
Learn more
Branding Service

Brand Sprint

Your brand, done in weeks, not months

Two weeks, one bold brand. Logo, style kit, messaging framework, and a 90-day action roadmap. Fast, focused, and fun.

From $2,500
Learn more
Monthly Creative

Idea Engine

Never run out of ideas again

Your monthly hit of fresh campaigns, content hooks, and social scripts. Think of us as your on-demand creative department, without the overheads.

From $1,500/mo
Learn more
AI Product

AI Playbooks

Agency-level results at a DIY price

Personalised, interactive HTML playbooks with embedded AI that stays current. One payment, no subscriptions, no ongoing help needed. Just follow the system.

$99 one-off
Browse playbooks
AI-Powered Playbooks

Stop paying agencies.
Start doing it yourself.

Every playbook is built for one specific business, in one specific niche, with your name, location, services, and challenges baked in throughout. Not a template you fill in. It arrives ready to use.

Always Current

Every section has a "Check for Updates" AI button. One click scrapes the web for fresh, relevant information. Your playbook never goes stale.

Free Tools Only

No paid subscriptions required. Every tool referenced is free, reliable, and genuinely useful. Paid options flagged as optional, never prerequisites.

Setup in Under 2 Hours

Click or copy-paste only. Every action step is a direct link, a copy-paste snippet, or a numbered instruction. No "figure it out" moments.

No Subscriptions

One payment. $99. Done. No monthly fees, no ongoing costs, no lock-in. The playbook is yours forever.

Personalised to You

Your business name, your location, your services, your challenges. Every playbook is built specifically for your business, not a generic template.

Fully Self-Contained

No post-sale check-ups. No ongoing help needed. The product makes you feel capable and independent. Zero dependency on us after delivery.

Browse Playbooks →
Our Work

Brands We've Built

A little look at some recent launches and transformations. These aren't just pretty pictures; they're branding stories built on strategy, purpose, and a whole lotta heart.

Mint Exterior brand identity

Mint Exterior

Brand identity + AI Marketing Playbook + Website

Joining The Dodts brand identity and website

Joining The Dodts

Brand identity

Tech Steps Dance Studio brand identity and website

Tech Steps Dance Studio

Brand identity

Marion Storm Cafe brand identity and website

Marion Storm Cafe

Brand identity

Genr8 brand identity and website

Genr8

Brand identity + website

The Cave New Zealand brand identity and creative direction

The Cave New Zealand

Brand identity + creative direction + website

View all work →
What People Say

Don't take our word for it

Here's what our clients have to say about working with PlainBlack.

Great folk, top quality work which really captured what we are about. Nothing is a problem and the results are epic. Highly recommend.

Rowan

Very happy with my website for my new Driving School. He also helped me with my Logo. Ian was extremely professional and supportive throughout the website build and launch.

Oliver

From the start, they understood my vision and turned it into a professional, clean, and eye-catching design. My website looks fantastic, runs smoothly, and perfectly represents my brand.

Bodie

Had Ian come around today to help out with social media issues and got to say awesome effort and result. Not only did he offer advice, he stayed and backed it up by getting us up and running in very short time.

Peter

They have consistently gone above and beyond to meet my business needs. Their deep understanding of what's required allowed them to deliver outstanding results for both my logo and website.

Corey
Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions?

The short answers to the stuff people usually ask before getting started.

PlainBlack is a branding and creative studio that helps startups and small businesses stand out. We offer hands-on branding services (logo design, brand strategy, websites) alongside AI-powered playbooks that give business owners the tools to do their own marketing at a fraction of the agency cost.
Most agencies sell you a cookie-cutter process and keep you dependent. We sell you ideas and independence. Our specialty is ideation, and our playbook products are designed to make you fully self-sufficient after purchase. No lock-ins, no subscriptions, no ongoing costs.
AI Playbooks are personalised, interactive HTML documents with embedded AI that keeps them current. Each one is built for your specific business, with your name, location, services, and industry baked in throughout. They replace the need for expensive agencies, consultants, and hours of outdated YouTube tutorials. One payment of $99, no subscriptions.
We have two offices: Devonport, Tasmania (Australia) and Mt Maunganui, New Zealand. We work with clients across AU, NZ, the US, and beyond. Zoom and Teams are our comfort zone.
For branding services, get in touch through our contact page and we'll set up a free discovery call. For playbooks, head to the Playbooks page, pick your niche, and you'll be up and running in under two hours.

Ready to make your brand impossible to ignore?

Whether you want hands-on help or a self-serve playbook, we've got you covered.

Talk to us → Browse Playbooks