Kindness and Co

Giving kindness a voice people want to buy into

A rebelliously kind brand voice that helps an ethical retailer stand out, sell with heart and grow with its partners.

“Northwords has captured exactly who we are: warm, playful, and rebelliously kind. Vicky has worked closely with our partners to make sure everything we put out sounds like us.”

Ali Carruthers-Illingworth, Founder Kindness & Co

What they wanted: a voice for the kindness movement

Kindness & Co is a start-up ethical retailer that makes giving back part of every purchase: customers choose which charity their order supports. Founder Ali Carruthers-Illingworth wanted to build more than a shop. She wanted a movement, K&Co, that people would rally around.

The risk for any purpose-led brand is sounding worthy, preachy or just like every other ethical shop. None of those makes people want to buy, or come back.

Ali wanted a voice that was rebelliously kind, playfully uplifting and genuinely inclusive, and that stayed consistent everywhere it appeared. As a new brand, Kindness & Co also needed a strategy, so anyone writing for it could get the voice right from day one.

What I delivered

1. A rebelliously kind, uplifting tone

We started with a tone-of-voice workshop, digging into the brand's mission and values. The challenge was finding the line between kind and soft.

The voice we developed is bold without being harsh, and kind without being dull. It invites people in, sparks joy and gently challenges the way we shop, with compassion at its core. Think of it as a nudge from a trusted friend: warm, lively and just a little bit rebellious.

2. Playful, feel-good copy

I wrote copy across the website, product pages and marketing materials, from headers about giving looking good on you to product titles and descriptions that pair comfort with conscience.

The message throughout is this: shopping with Kindness & Co isn't about sacrifice. It's about joy, generosity and belonging. When buying feels this good, customers come back, and they tell their friends.

3. Working hand in hand with web and social teams

A voice only works if it lands the same way everywhere. So I worked alongside Ben and Chris at Shopify agency We Take Flight, and Rebecca and Cathy at marketing agency What's Your Story?

Together, we shaped landing pages, calls to action and social captions, so customers heard the same brand whether they found it on the website, in their inbox or on Instagram.

4. Aligned with charity partners

Every purchase supports a charity the customer chooses, so trust is everything. If a charity partner isn't comfortable with how we describe it, the whole model falls apart.

I liaised directly with each charity to agree on landing pages, messaging and product descriptions, making sure every one was represented accurately and respectfully. Partners are proud to be associated with the brand, and customers can buy with confidence.

5. A future-ready voice strategy

Finally, I created a brand voice strategy document that captures the three core traits and shows how to use them, from homepage straplines to Instagram captions.

It's designed to grow with the business, evolving into fuller guidelines as Kindness & Co expands. The team can keep the voice consistent without needing me in the room.

The results?
See them here for yourself.

A rebelliously kind voice that sets them apart from other ethical brands
Playful, uplifting copy that makes customers feel good about buying
Inclusive messaging that welcomes everyone in
A strategy that keeps the voice consistent as the business grows

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