Tipping with meaning, not just money. The first gratitude ecosystem
By 2023, there were already five major non-cash tip services on the market. Everyone had the same set: QR code, transfer, card withdrawal, and everyone talked about the same thing: money, speed, technology. They came to us with a sixth. We came up with Plavno, a special gratitude ecosystem that allows you to tip or donate to your favorite authors. Now they have 3,400 partners, 2,600+ gas stations across two major fuel networks, a turnover of $2.5M per year and customer growth of 47% year-on-year. The task sounded like rebranding, but the more important question was: what is this product and why does it exist?
A little bit of context
Thousands of gas stations, restaurants and hotels are already using Premiertips solutions for tipping, automating processes and managing employees. There are similar services on the market, and Premiertips didn't really stand out from the competition. It was not clear how to scale up the idea with tips and position the product so that it would be useful.
All competitors explained like the service is working. No one explained why. And why is it always about people: a waiter who tried hard all evening, a craftsman who did better than you expected, a tanker in the rain. There is a real person behind the QR code and a desire to thank him. Tipping is a culture of gratitude that no one in the segment talked about.
Live here — thank now
Gratitude is timeless. It has no restrictions, rules or frameworks. It's easy to thank — you just have to start. We will help you do this smoothly. We are smoothly building a bridge of gratitude between business and client. Between a content creator and their audience. Between everyone who works with people, this is the basis for the versatility of the product.
Everything went smoothly
We suggested calling the service Plavno (smoothly in russian) — an adverb instead of a noun, a sensation instead of a function. The word works on several levels at once: the transaction goes smoothly, the service works smoothly, the guest leaves with a smooth aftertaste — without pressure, gently, just like a good service should work. An unchangeable adverb with common syllables ending in “o” — it resonates with many words, is easy to remember, easy to pronounce, and the plavno.ru domain takes its place by itself.
A smooth way to receive gratitude
We made Plavno for everyone who wants to express and receive gratitude. The platform not only helps businesses motivate employees and receive feedback from customers, but also develops a culture of gratitude in general. It smoothly encourages people to thank and be grateful. And then gratitude will come back. This return is illustrated by the brand's logo, a boomerang of gratitude.
Smooth but noticeable, bright and expressive
The logo confidently reflects the ideology that we help save time and thank people in one click. And the boomerang becomes the reference point of the future ecosystem — it encourages you to thank and be grateful to others.
New website and app
We developed the plavno.ru website, new communications and an application for the browser, iOS and Android, reduced onboarding to a minimum, built the employee's personal page as the basis of the product, and assembled a design system with room for scaling. The brand and product now read as one. This is described in more detail in the product strategy development case ↗.
A smooth flight of gratitude
We create harmony between service and appreciation for the services provided. Plavno, an ecosystem of gratitude, in which tipping is just one of the scenarios. Donations for content makers, donations to NGOs, reviews, bonuses, payments and account sharing via QR. The audience is expanding beyond restaurants — to gas stations, medicine, beauty, courier delivery, tutoring. The main phrase on the site is “A smooth way to receive gratitude” — has remained unchanged to this day.
