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Wal-Mart’s New Ads: Critics Weigh In

Marketing experts weigh in on Wal-Mart’s new ad campaign. The assesments range from “touchy-feely” to painfully boring. Above all, the ads provide a glimpse into the mind of Wal-Mart, exposing where the company senses weaknesses and how it thinks it can move forward.

Wal-Mart ad goes down the tubes [Chicago Sun-Times]

At least the back-to-school work last month tried to talk to consumers about why it made sense to shop at Wal-Mart. “Roadtrip” doesn’t talk at all. The spot comes with no voiceover copy, merely a passable folk song for underscoring and a lackluster succession of images—shot to look as if they were taken with the family camera (and maybe they were )—that show us what went on during one family’s vacation.If this sounds boring on paper, it’s even more so in the viewing...At some point, Wal-Mart is going to have to come up with advertising that gives the chain a distinct profile, a truly unique and interesting personality among discount retailers. The Martin shop has done this extraordinarily well for clients such as Geico, UPS and NASCAR. We hope the agency will eventually be able to do the same for Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart Scraps Happy-Face Logo From TV Ads [Advertising Age]

Wal-Mart’s new tack signals a scaling back of recent attempts to go upscale, and marks a return to its traditional emphasis on low prices. The ads aren’t product-heavy, however, and instead focus on how shopping at Wal-Mart throughout the year can help families save.

Wal-Mart adopts ‘emotional’ marketing effort [Financial Times via CNBC]

The centrepiece of the campaign is an updated economic study carried out for the retailer by Global Insight, an economic consultancy, which asserts that the the company’s price-cutting efforts saved US consumers $2,500 per household in 2006...The group’s methodology was challenged in a paper last year by economists from the Economic Policy Institute, who argued that methodology issues “raise serious doubts regarding the reliability” of the savings estimate.

Wal-Mart Kicks Off New Campaign, With New Tagline [Wall Street Journal]

The Bentonville, Ark., retailer hopes to avoid the failed liftoff of last year’s upscale marketing campaign push by splicing warm scenes of families with a tagline that promises a good life for less. The tagline “Save Money. Live Better.” replaces the “Always Low Prices” tagline that has appeared on the company’s stores and ads for the past 19 years...In unveiling the new branding effort, Wal-Mart cited an updated Global Insight study that estimates U.S. families save $2,500 a year shopping at its stores. Critics of the savings study said it “glosses over” the chain’s impact on poverty, wages and local businesses. “They are basing an entire ad campaign around some sketchy figures,” said Nu Wexler, spokesman for Wal-Mart Watch, a union-backed group.

Wal-Mart’s New Tack: Show ‘Em the Payoff [Washington Post]

Wal-Mart has been searching for ways to reposition itself to combat slowing sales growth as its stores saturate the nation. Its strategy had long been to open in small towns and suburbs much like its headquarters of Bentonville, Ark. But with more than 3,300 U.S. stores that draw roughly 127 million shoppers each week, it is running out of room to grow.

Wal-Mart now is trying to persuade its more-affluent customers to see it as a destination for more than toilet paper and laundry detergent...But the experiment backfired after an unhappy flirtation with an edgy New York advertising agency, which the company dropped in favor of the Martin Agency and its salt-of-the-earth sensibility.

Wal-Mart Updates Ad Slogan [Women’s Wear Daily]

Wal-Mart has been looking to grow beyond its core customer, but attempts to up the trend and style quotient of categories such as apparel and soft home goods haven’t played out well across the entire chain. The company has moved away from last year’s more au courant advertising — which showed stylish merchandise with smiles in day-to-day life along with the message, “The more you save, the more you smile” — to the new campaign.

Wal-Mart Rolling Out New Company Slogan [Reuters via New York Times]

Its back-to-school ads showed actors posing as customers, talking about how Wal-Mart helped them save money amid high gasoline prices, a contrast to its previous ads featuring a smiley face character zooming around stores, slashing prices…

The discount retailer is trying to revive its U.S. sales after its same-store sales rose at their slowest pace on record last fiscal year. Its back-to-school advertising campaign was accompanied by price cuts of as much as 50 percent on 16,000 items like backpacks and school supplies.

Wal-Mart touts return to low prices [Associated Press via BusinessWeek]

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. launched a new marketing campaign Wednesday that underscores its renewed focus on low prices as a key to growth after disappointing results from last year’s push into trendier clothes and merchandise.

Wal-Mart said its new advertising will stress how much U.S. consumers can save by shopping at the world’s largest retailer.

Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Thursday, September 13, 2007

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COMMENTS

TO: Wal-Mart
FROM: Nick (aka EllisW) & RDS (aka Bob)*
Subject: Emotions

You favor emotion over logic. Why, oh why, do people make decisions on the basis of emotion and not on the cold, hard facts? You cannot argue against this logic with emotion. Emotion does not stand up in the face of logic. Just like liberals. Too many people in this country think with emotion, not logic. ~ Nick

You are so out of touch with Economics, and deal so much on Emotion, that you can’t see that what you say, is in direct opposition with what you want. ~ RDS

*Why do you suppose so many pro Wal-Mart folks use aliases?

Ken V in Texas
Friday, September 14 at 07:38 AM

Ken V. Just a tad bid on the generalization with a pinch of hypocracy for good measure.

Mary in
Friday, September 14 at 10:43 AM

Ken V,

Isn’t it strange that when you base your arguments on ‘emotion’ that is just fine, but, when Wal-Mart gets down to your level and uses ‘emotions’ in their ads, your red flag goes flying high? What’s the old saying, “Fight fire, with fire”!!

“*Why do you suppose so many pro Wal-Mart folks use aliases?”

No one on this site, uses more aliases, than SDV!! And, remember, Screwedby, used to be Tom Boese!! Besides, I have always explained WHY I changed mine and don’t deny that I used different names before!!

RDS in
Friday, September 14 at 11:19 AM

Just a tad bid on the generalization with a pinch of hypocracy for good measure. (I’m sure you meant ‘bit’.)

Those are actual quotes from the Bobsey Twins.

Give one example of me basing my arguments on ‘emotion’! JUST ONE!

I thought the Anti Wal-Marters were a bunch of partiers, but you pro folks seems to have much better hallucinogenics. You consistently see things that aren’t there.

“As if there were safety in stupidity alone.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Ken V in Texas
Friday, September 14 at 12:09 PM

SDV = Alias for ?
ScrewedByWalmart = Alias for ?

It can’t be any clearer than that. Hyprocracy at its best. I rest my case.

Signed.... MARY (MY REAL NAME!)

mary in
Friday, September 14 at 01:04 PM

is it not emotion in the face of logic that has created the loyal walmart customer base?

ddrb in
Friday, September 14 at 01:30 PM

Now who’s being obtuse?

Let me restate: Why do you suppose the pro Wal-Mart bunch feels the need to change aliases?

Signed.....KEN V(my real name) still waiting for that 1 example.

Ken V in Texas
Friday, September 14 at 01:31 PM

“No one on this site, uses more aliases, than SDV!! And, remember, Screwedby, used to be Tom Boese!! Besides, I have always explained WHY I changed mine and don’t deny that I used different names before!!”

At least, when you changed yours to “RDS”, it was still a variation of your name...can’t say that for a couple of people, here…

Bill

Bill in
Friday, September 14 at 01:44 PM

dragnet: their names have been changed to protect the.....?

ddrb in
Friday, September 14 at 01:59 PM

I take an extended break and come back to find the same old.... Well, you get the idea.

The shift in advertising strategy is necessary to repair the damage from attempting to imitate a company 1/6 its size. At least it appears that Wal-Mart finally remembers who it is.

Someone in USA
Friday, September 14 at 06:15 PM

“it appears as though walmart finally remembers who it is..”,unfortunately for walmart ,millions of shoppers still do!

ddrb in
Friday, September 14 at 06:30 PM

Bill,

“At least, when you changed yours to “RDS”, it was still a variation of your name...can’t say that for a couple of people, here…”

Yes, and everyone, was a variation of my REAL name, do you suppose that some parents, named their children SanDiegoView or ScrewedbyWalmart? Look at the so-called pro side, almost everyone uses their real name or nickname and then we are charged to be using aliases!!

RDS in
Friday, September 14 at 07:33 PM

“Yes, and everyone, was a variation of my REAL name” ~RDS

This is RDS’ explanation as to why he so frequently changed his blogging “name.”

He’s right! That’s why he shortened it to RDS. That’s a lot easier than always typing Real Dumb Shit.

ScrewedbyWal-Mart in Anytown, America
Saturday, September 15 at 06:54 AM

Horray for ScrewedbyWal-Mart! It only took until 7:54am this morning for the first insult to start the day. My how we progressing on this site.

mary in
Saturday, September 15 at 08:25 AM

Progress is Slow Sometimes

“My how we [are] progressing on this site.” ~Mary

We’d be making more progress Mary, if we weren’t always “thrown off message” or had to respond to the crap that RDS, Nick, Bill, yourself, and all the other Wal-Mart Trolls keep posting!

ScrewedbyWal-Mart in Anytown, America
Saturday, September 15 at 01:03 PM

Back to the basic post.
Wal-Mart has some serious problems afoot.

And they have some seriously bad, advertising agency, leading them by the nose.
It looks more like a ‘hobby shop’ bunch of Turkish kids, than pros.

Just goes to show, you can be a ‘so called’ pro and get paid.
First of all, the new ad campaign is not one which offers continuity.
There is no logical thread from previous campaigns.

EDLP, is not converted easily to ‘How I pay for my Kid’s College Fund’.
Equally obtuse is the $2500.00 mark.
Of itself is not a bad differentiation point.

However the juvenile admakers, tie this to the wrong ‘average’ shopper.
This $2500 does not really ‘ping’ the core 56% demographic, but the more trendy 12% demographic.
Ad campaigns, like political campaigns, are not won on a thin base of constituents.

However a good campaign is one which manages a ‘crossover’, tying disparate elements together.

Unless the strategy of the people Wal-Mart just paid multi-millions of dollars to, is long term, based on 10-15 years of shaping image change, they got ripped.
Frankly , I think they did get ripped by a bunch of juveys.

cazar in
Saturday, September 15 at 04:46 PM

ScrewedbyWal-Mart, I absolutely agree!!!

I also think we’d be making more progress if we weren’t always “thrown off message” or had to respond to the crap that SDV, Alex, Ken V, yourself, and all the other anti-WalMart Trolls keep posting!

mary in
Saturday, September 15 at 07:10 PM

mary,

Wonder what happened to Alex, he hasn’t posted in quite awhile!! Maybe, just like his pal IRONHEAD, he has given up the fight!! Both said that we would never be rid of them, now they are gone, guess the anti troops are thinning out!! “Another one bites the dust”, guess that’s what happens when a few guppies, try to eat a whale, sometimes they bite off more than they can chew!!

RDS in
Sunday, September 16 at 01:01 AM

I too, anxiously await the Caveman magic to happen for Wal-Mart*, but so far, so bad. And we all know Edelman is nothing more than roadkill at this stage.

Where’s Julie Roehm when you need her?

*It would prove me wrong. You can make a silk purse out of the Beast’s ear.

Ken V in Texas
Sunday, September 16 at 05:44 AM

I am sure many others think that WalMart’s new tag line should actually read-

Slave More/Lie Better

WalMart/Edelman “war room” image slobs- We are America’s menticide. Facilitating the American dream of advanced payday loans by working or shopping at WalMart.

SanDiegoView in
Sunday, September 16 at 09:06 AM

If It Wasn’t the Truth...

If I said it once, I’ll say it again… You’re killing me, SDV!

Slave More/Lie Better

Did you come up with that on your own, or was it “borrowed” from another source? In any case, it would be even more funny if it weren’t so true! Hey, if Nick can “shift numbers around” why can’t you shift a few letters around, right?

ScrewedbyWal-Mart in Anytown, America
Sunday, September 16 at 09:14 AM

Mary , anti trolls keep posting, hey dumbass this is anti wm site . Dont’t like,. leave. GO GET A JOB AT WALCRAP AND SEE HOW LONG YOU LAST>

JOE in
Sunday, September 16 at 11:03 AM

SDV-"Slave more.Lie better” Uncle Sam’s(Walton’s)Plantation---there are NO well adjusted slaves---anywhere-------

ddrb in
Sunday, September 16 at 02:54 PM

Thanks! I originated it this morning Screwed. My most recent contribution to the advertising and bumper sticker world. Keep up fighting the good fight… it has and will continue to expose WalMart for the poverty engine it really is.

WalMart/Edelman ‘war room’ propaganda clowns- Menticide for America.

SanDiegoView in
Sunday, September 16 at 04:26 PM

to mary: it appears that the trolls are on a roll!!!!! Yes, i agree with your earlier post Mary,we trolls are progressing,quite nicely, on this site,thank you!

ddrb in
Sunday, September 16 at 05:34 PM

Yes ddrb, you trolls are progressing, quite nicely.

Howeve it is only on this site and not in the real world.

Let me explain for sometimes I know you don’t get it. This is an anti=WM site so naturally you will progrees on here.
How about the “real world”? How much progress have you or any unions made?

The Sage in
Monday, September 17 at 10:24 AM

Dear Sage, as a recent blogger to this site, i am flattered that you have taken a particular interest in my posts..butASSUMUING once again that an anti-walmart stance is an assurance of success on this site is an assumption in and of itself....as to my performance level in the “real” world , lets just say that i am secure enough in my accomplishments that i do not require the spotlight ,becuse, in the real world,ive already,and sometimes,still have it......

ddrb in
Monday, September 17 at 11:16 AM

Sage,

“Let me explain for sometimes I know you don’t get it.”

You were right, ddrb didn’t get it!! He thought you were talking about his personal self and not the effects of this campaign on the ‘real world’!! But, then again, most anti Wal-Marters don’t get it, they are to self absorbed to see that even here, they are not all that successful, take Screwedby for example, he can’t even convince his mother that he is right!! And, after all this time, how much have the unions gained...Zero!!

RDS in
Monday, September 17 at 05:18 PM

How much progress have you or any unions made?

46% of shoppers are either indifferent or think Wal-Mart sucks. Wal-Mart China is unionized and Canada is poised. The stock is in the toilet. Sales are “sluggish”. One imported product after another is being recalled through Wal-Mart. Employee morale has never been lower.

And you wonder why there is dancing in the streets?

Ken V in Texas
Tuesday, September 25 at 01:05 PM

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