In the post-holiday malaise, I was confronted with a simple truth -- sometimes Wal-Mart is the only option. I have all of the standard gripes about Wallyworld (or Deathmart as my friend Mike has crudely dubbed them after the unfortunate death of an employee on Black Friday) so I won't bother to elaborate on them here.
My wife's family lives in rural Iowa, and for many essential items Wal-Mart is the only option. And so it passed that my wife, sister-in-law and I set out for food staples, grab bag gifts for an upcoming Yankee Swap, and miscellenous gift items. For part of the visit I was left to my own devices and wandered the aisles. Because I am insane and think of such things, I took in the modern facelift of the new Wal-Mart logo along with other in-store promotionals proclaiming the giant retailer's slogan -- Save money. Live better.
Say what you will about it -- it's basic, it's dirivitive on Target's "Expect More. Pay Less." -- but I think this slogan ultimately meets it's needs and is relevant now more than ever. I found myself reading it aisle after aisle, end-cap after end-cap and thinking -- "That IS what I want." And right now that's what we all want.
Don't get me wrong. I think the company and the way it operates are often times reprehensible and I don't think that a slogan that happens to be more topical now can somehow reverse or offset that. What I do think is that right now, Wal-Mart is doing an OK job of talking to a lot of people.
(Just to be sure to get one quick dig in -- the photo I took above slays me. Now you can add a small, quaint Wal-Mart to your picturesque holiday village. The irony of course is that once you put the Wal-Mart out you'd have to remvoe the small town drug store and toy shop from your quaint main street ...)
Westerblog | A blog about IDEAS+ACTION from Westergaard Advertising
1 comment:
Interesting post and a good point. Sometimes there is no other option. I think Walmart's design approach is interesting as well. Their new logo is sort of a stylized sunburst that reminds me of the apple processing indicator that appears when searching or beginning an iPhone app. Also, newer stores are becoming less industrial in appearance (at least externally) and more organic with more browns and greens. Their commercials look like they were produced by the Obama campaign focusing more on how their prices affect ordinary people. It may be a nod toward the millennials who will continue to demand a richer shopping experience - good prices won't be enough, but contemporary design trends will also be important, making us feel like we are participating in an experience not just a transaction. It will be interesting to see if Walmart will tap into the Millennials' respect for social responsibility as well...perhaps with better wages and greater community support.
Post a Comment