PlainBlack — Big Ideas, Made Simple

Why PlainBlack

We cut the crap

Most agencies guard the mystery and keep you dependent. We do the opposite. Three things that hold true on every project.

Plain talk.

No jargon, no synergy, no 200-page strategy decks. If your nan wouldn't get the sentence, we rewrite the sentence.

No lock-in. Cancel anytime.

Every other agency sells you time. We sell you the thing. You approve every invoice, because every invoice is a decision you actually made. Pay once for the brand, the sprint, or the batch of ideas. Come back when you need more. Nothing auto-bills in the background.

Built for underdogs.

Same brain on a $950 name as on a $2,500 sprint. We don't think the size of the invoice should change the size of the thinking.

What We Do

Services + Products

Hands-on branding services and focused creative for businesses that want a partner. Priced up front, no lock-in.

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

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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

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Returning-client favourite One-off creative

Idea Engine

Fire it up when you need ideas. Pay nothing when you don't.

A focused batch of fresh campaigns, content hooks, social scripts, and ad copy. One project, one price. When you've burned through it, you come back. No retainer.

From $1,500

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AI + Automation

AI Tools & Automation

The clever stuff that runs behind your website

Custom AI assistants, automations, quote tools, dashboards, and the hub that replaces your fifteen tabs. Built for your business, handed over, yours to keep.

Scope-priced

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Your journey.

Same team, every chapter.

Most agencies want you locked in. We'd rather be the team you come back to.

Stage 1

Name & Frame

A landscaper in Tauranga starts as Mike's Garden Services. He buys Name & Frame for $950 and walks away with a name he's actually proud of.

Stage 2

Brand Sprint

Eighteen months later, pitching commercial clients, his old website is letting him down. He comes back for a Brand Sprint at $2,500.

Stage 3

Idea Engine

A year after that, team of seven, he can't think of what to post on Instagram. He fires up Idea Engine for $1,500 and gets a quarter of fuel he can actually run with.

Stage 4

AI Tools & Automation

Booked solid now, he's drowning in quote requests and missed calls. We build him a custom quote tool and an AI assistant that answers after hours. Built for his business, handed over, his to keep.

Same team. Every chapter. No lock-in.

Find your starting point →

Our Work

Stuff We Do

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.

Enchanted Entertainment

Website + Booking Bridge + Squarespace Migration

Bradley Roofing

Website + AI Tools + CMS

BLST

Name & Frame + Brand Sprint + Idea Engine

Town & Country Accountants

Website + Branding + AI Stuff

McIndoe Media

Website + Creative + Nerd stuff

Mint Exterior

Brand identity + AI Marketing + Website

The Marshall Method

Brand Sprint + Website + AI Tools

Joining The Dodts

Brand identity

Tech Steps Dance Studio

Brand identity

Marion Storm Cafe

Brand identity

Genr8

Brand identity + website

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.

Daniel, Aspen Solutions, Adelaide: Straight shooters who don't talk bullsh*t

straight shooters who don't talk bulls%8t

What can you say about the guys at [PlainBlack]? Well, most of it would be filled with words that have a heap of special characters in them. You know, like f*@king great guys, straight shooters who don't talk bulls%8t etc.

Both Ian and Jayden made the process easy and took the time to understand who we are and what makes us tick. They listened to what we asked for and nailed the brief on bringing our vision to life in both our logo and our website.

Nothing was too much hassle for them and they worked with us as we smoothed off the rough edges and helped to solidify our branding. I couldn't recommend these guys enough.

If you're in the market for a logo, website design & build and looking to meet some laid back, talented people then [PlainBlack] might just be the team for you.

And ask Ian to show you his propeller hat...

Daniel Aspen Solutions

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

RowanBusiness Abundance, Devonport

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.

OliverNorthEast Roadcraft, Adelaide

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.

BodiePort Sorell

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.

PeterDevonport

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.

CoreyRoofing contractor, Devonport

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 do branding and websites, marketing, and custom AI tools and automation, sold modular so you take the bit you need. Hands-on, one-off, no lock-in.

Most agencies sell you a cookie-cutter process and keep you dependent. We sell you ideas and independence. We break the work into the bits that actually move your business, price it up front, and hand it over. No lock-ins, no subscriptions, no surprise invoices.

Custom AI assistants and chatbots trained on your business, workflow automations for follow-ups and quoting and booking, quote and pricing tools that qualify leads for you, internal dashboards, and full custom hubs that replace the fifteen tools you're juggling. Built for your business, handed over, yours to keep. Every build is scope-priced.

We have two offices: Devonport, Tasmania (Australia) and Papamoa, New Zealand. We work with clients across AU, NZ, the US, and beyond. Zoom and Teams are our comfort zone.

Get in touch through our contact page and we'll set up a free discovery call. Thirty minutes, no pitch, no pressure. We'll work out what you actually need and what it'll cost.

Branding that fights for the underdog.

We cut the crap

Plain talk.

No lock-in. Cancel anytime.

Built for underdogs.

Services + Products

Name & Frame

Brand Sprint

Idea Engine

AI Tools & Automation

Same team, every chapter.

Stuff We Do

Enchanted Entertainment

Bradley Roofing

BLST

Town & Country Accountants

McIndoe Media

Mint Exterior

The Marshall Method

Joining The Dodts

Tech Steps Dance Studio

Marion Storm Cafe

Genr8

The Cave New Zealand

Don't take our word for it

Got questions?

Tired of being ignored by the agencies you can't afford?