Some shops really stand out, and Whiskey River Soap Co. is near the top of that list. At it’s best, shopping can be the perfect stress relief. Whiskey River Soap takes that therapeutic effect a step further by adding in another element, genuine unhinged laughter. You’ll feel like you just saw a therapist and a comedian all at once, and somehow you ended up buying a candle.

At first glance, you might mistake Whiskey River Soap Co. as an average online apothecary or home goods store. When you take a closer look at the labels on the candles and the soaps, you’ll quickly think differently.

From astrology themed liquid hand soaps to tiger king candles, they focus on making ordinary products amusing and on-trend by constantly changing up their labelling and packaging design. They create time-sensitive limited edition products to ride the wave of internet trends and simultaneously capitalize on surges on new SEO terms and hashtags.

Although they certainly have a sense of humour when it comes to product names, they are keeping their standards high when it comes to production. All of the soaps, candles and bath bombs they create are handmade and vegan, so no two products will look exactly alike.

In terms of the origins of Whiskey River Soap, their jovial and sarcastic brand voice is evident on every page, including their FAQ. “Rinse, lather, repeat. Do not eat. Do not invite friends over and serve over a bed of organic wild rice. Organic rice is way out of your budget. Discontinue use if rash, redness, or itching occur. Consult your physician if irritation persists.” This consistency in tone humanizes their brand and makes it feel like a familiar friend. Perhaps it’s your mysterious sassy friend behind it all, and that’s why you’ve never understood what they do for a living.

Back to the basics about the store website. They use large, photo-forward banners that rotate every few seconds. They use minimal text on their banners, putting their products front and center. This is a strategic choice for them since their labels and copywriting are the selling points. When you scroll down, you see a clean white site structure that spaces out their top selling products in rows of four, before transitioning into promo blocks. They keep their limited edition products near the top, followed by their new products and best sellers.

If you click a product, you’ll open a full page product description. The dates associated with certain products like hand soaps note when the product was created which is important for their vegan product line.

Whiskey River Soaps offers more than just soaps and candles. They have a line of office products like pencils, mugs and notebooks too, that also offer a dose of the funny. There are some common themes among their product lines, like references to millennials, boomers and star signs.

If you are looking for ideas of how to make your store more fun, Whiskey River Soap is the perfect place to gather some inspiration. Even though they offer a traditional home product line, their out of the box brand voice gives their products an edge that feels like something new. They are a case study of how strong marketing can convert a customer for a product they may not have even been searching for.

Whiskey River Soap Co is also a great example of a store designed for gifting. Since their products have an element of surprise and delight, they make the perfect gift for an unsuspecting friend or colleague. The shopping experience is almost as fun as the unboxing experience, and their unique brand lends itself to word of mouth marketing, so they’ve created a serious funnel that merchants might want to mimic.