Brand Tone

witty, irreverent, and hyperlocal. The brand uses humor and snark, often rooted in shared Chicago experiences, to connect with its audience. The voice is that of a "smart ass" friend who knows the city inside and out. It's casual, confident, and unapologetically authentic.

Brand Values

• •Hyperlocal Pride
• •Craftsmanship and Quality
• •Sustainability
• •Authenticity and Humor
• •Community

Best Practices

• •Lead with Humor, Follow with Quality: Start with the joke, but always bring it back to the premium qualities of the product (soy wax, hand-poured, phthalate-free). The humor grabs attention; the quality justifies the purchase.
• •Speak Chicagoan: Continue using local slang, neighborhood references, and shared cultural touchstones (e.g., "Ope," "the 'L'," "dibs"). This is your unique identifier.
• •Write Like a Person, Not a Corporation: Maintain the first-person, slightly informal voice established by the founder. Use contractions, ask rhetorical questions, and be conversational. The "About Us" story is a great asset; let that personality shine everywhere.
• •Balance Snark with Charm: The tone is witty, not mean. The humor comes from a place of love for the city and its people. Ensure the jokes are relatable and inclusive, poking fun at situations rather than individuals.
• •Keep Descriptions Vivid and Relatable: Connect scents to specific, everyday experiences. Instead of just "sandalwood and vanilla," it's the scent of a "cozy morning drinking coffee and playing video games." This makes the fragrance more memorable and emotionally resonant.

Social Perception

The public and customers perceive Chicago Wick Stop overwhelmingly positively. They are seen as high-quality with great scents, witty and highly giftable. Customers note excellent customer experience due to care in packaging and shipping, and the brand is recognized as authentically Chicago in local media.

Copy Examples

• •That time of year when your apartment has two seasons: 'windows open' and 'what’s that smell?' We’ve got you. Our Logan Square candle smells like sandalwood and ambition—way better than whatever your radiator is cooking up. #ChicagoWickStop #HandPoured #LoganSquare
• •Smells like crowded 'L' trains, ambition, and dodging tourists on your lunch break. A sophisticated blend of leather and oakmoss for the days you’re running the city, and a hint of ozone for when the city is running you. Light it up and make your home office feel like a corner office.
• •Welcome to Chicago! You’ve mastered the CTA and figured out what 'dibs' is. Now it’s time to make your place smell less like a century-old building. We hand-pour witty, wooden-wick candles that celebrate everything you're about to love (and hate) about this city. Shop now and get your official Chicago-scented welcome.
• •Your apartment called. It wants to stop smelling like regret.
• •Witty Quips & Wooden Wicks. We make clean-burning, incredible-smelling soy candles that are as authentically Chicago as complaining about the weather. [Shop The Collection]