New Wal*Mart logo

[Rockk]

I would have loved to be involved in the meetings for this update! I can just imagine the drama :D

Wall Street Journal article (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121462040134113143.html?mod=rss_whats_news_us)

Wal-Mart Plans New Logo to Update Image
By Ann Zimmerman

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is about to change one of the most familiar logos in corporate America.

Part of Wal-Mart's continuing effort to update its once-dowdy image, the new logo for signs and building facades includes white letters on a burnt-orange background followed by a white starburst, according to an artist's rendering that the company filed recently with planning officials in Memphis, Tenn.

In a change, the name will appear as one word: Walmart. When the company first started in 1962, the name was hyphenated by a dash. But in the past decade, the dash has been replaced by a star ...

[jdjtcagle]

You mean more changes? They still haven't updated all the wal*marts from the last change :p

[Red Kittie Kat]

Wanna bet the run a contest for the logo design? :D

[double A-ron]

http://discordapparel.com/images/designs/whitetrash.gif

[Nickeg]

Hahahaha nice one doulbe Aron

[Randomhero]

http://discordapparel.com/images/designs/whitetrash.gif

Haha, you win. But in anycase, I don't get why they are changing it. The old one, tho plain, seemed to have worked, and tbh, the new one, if that is the new one, isn' that much better.

[Rockk]

5595

Great design available with the WalMart $Billions$ :eek:

[Diablos]

Looks like it was designed inside the Sims.
Not very impressed at all.

[John G]

for serious? that's really what it is?

That's like word quality arial outlined.


edit: nvm, that picture wasn't there the first time I read it. That's the old, old one. or I hope.

[mojoprime]

no, i live down here in the world of walmart, and that orange thing is in fact the new logo. heard it on the news this morning. i hope they didn't spend a whole lot on that. it's very "target"-logo like. i'm sure they did loads of focus testing... ;)

[Typically]

it looks very generic. nothing eye catching or interesting going on. it looks ok but i would have left it the way it was rather than change it to this.

[Yossarian]

What's the starburst represent? The outward growth of a fungal infection? The perpetuation of urban sprawl? An anus?

I mean, I like Wal*Mart, er Walmart.

[mojoprime]

very good questions. i'm curious if they address any of that in the coming months.

[Devinyl]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f178/p0ptart5/Wal_Mart_Stores_U_S2.jpg
This is the new logo officially posted on walmarts website. It looks like they will start using it this fall. It is not very impressive, but I do think it will have the effect they are looking for. They are trying to really change the whole "white trash" image of walmart, make it seem freah and cool like Target. IMO it could be better, but it could be a lot worse too!

[double A-ron]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f178/p0ptart5/Wal_Mart_Stores_U_S2.jpg


IMO, it's too little to late (not that it's even a very good logo). To me (and I'm sure many others), they will always be associated with white trash/bible thumping rednecks, because, that's all that I see when I unfortunately have to step foot in one of their stores. I think I can honestly say, that I have never been in one of their stores, where the employees and a majority of their shoppers all look like they come from the same inbred gene pool.

[Red Kittie Kat]

We are not responsible for the opinions expressed here on GDF .. sorry Walmart shoppers and workers


;)

[Typically]

haha when i was living in tampa there were 3 or 4 walmarts you could get to within 10 mins from my house. back up in jersey the closest one is a good hour or so away and i haven't been in once since 2004 and i don't really miss it. i would go there because they were open 24 hours a day. you could go grocery shopping and getting a shotgun at 3am if you really wanted to =]

[Yossarian]

^^ Nice save, Kittie!
Yep, now that I see the official version, that is totally an anus. :D

[SurfPark]

The logo should only be the beginning. Target is successful because they carry design throughout the store. Packages are designed. Signage is designed. They leave little untouched. Walmart doesn't hold the same values Target has. Their attempt to make the store seem like something chic is going to be a stretch since their customer isn't shopping at Walmart for the style. The company has built its reputation on pricing.

[CkretAjint]

I agree Surfpark. I never understood the "Wal*Mart" bard being called "Great Value" (with ugly packaging)... *shrugs* But thats how Target surpasses them...

[NTLemon]

heh, Typically, where I was living previously there were 5 Walmarts within 10 minutes and 9 within 20 minutes of me. You're never quite the same after seeing an old man shopping at 2am in a threadbare robe and pajamas. I'm sure there's plenty of places like this but it seems like Tampa likes its Walmarts.

[jdjtcagle]

lol, kitty...

I was about to cry :(

:p

[Irine]

Looks like it was designed inside the Sims.
Not very impressed at all.

LOL..........:D :D :D

[natenation]

Wow.. What the heck are they thinking. I wonder if they designed that in HTML. ;oP The 3D render looks like it's from google sketch up, the free 3d software.

[JgS]

You guys make Walmart sound like it should have a tractor pull running down the middle of it. I personally think the place is great. You can get everything you need in one place, for cheep, and some are even open 24 hours.

I like the logo too. It's simple and with the addition of the icon of the sun I think it becomes inviting.

[John G]

You guys make Walmart sound like it should have a tractor pull running down the middle of it.
that would be...

AWESOME

[CkretAjint]

I know if that where the case I would shop there a lot more! :D

[double A-ron]

You guys make Walmart sound like it should have a tractor pull running down the middle of it. I personally think the place is great. You can get everything you need in one place, for cheep, and some are even open 24 hours.


And this is coming from a guy from Texas with a cowboy as his avatar. Man, you're their prime demographic.







































JFWY/:D

[Craig B]

So, everyone from Texas is a redneck. Nice. I guess I'm a redneck.

For what it's worth, I also go to Walmart. Do I "like" Walmart. Not especially. but it's close to my house out in the burbs and it's cheap for getting day to day groceries.

Do I shop their exclusively? Um, nope. Once again, I'm not a big fan of the place, but it keeps my expenses down, which is good.

I prefer target any day of the week, but that would add an extra 20-25 minute drive form my house ... not worth it. And it would cost more.

With that said, the new logo does not look at all trendy or modern. It still looks cheap, and it's meaningless. But, hey, if they want a cheap, crappy logo, that's fine.

[Rockk]

Tractor pulls at Wally World! Put the keg on ice, light the BBQ and I'm there.

And I can't wait for the rodeo in aisle 9 :)

[Sketcher]

IMO, it's too little to late (not that it's even a very good logo). To me (and I'm sure many others), they will always be associated with white trash/bible thumping rednecks, because, that's all that I see when I unfortunately have to step foot in one of their stores. I think I can honestly say, that I have never been in one of their stores, where the employees and a majority of their shoppers all look like they come from the same inbred gene pool.

Walmart attracts the low-income crowd. Down south, the low income people tend to be rednecks. Up here in the north, (at least where I live), the vast majority of the people I see there are black. In other states that I've been to, I saw nothing but a bunch of hippies in Walmart.

[Red Kittie Kat]

I have to say this ... mod hat off ...

Boy... there sure is a lot of stereotyping going on in this thread ... How can we make assumptions of what people are by a visual?

And while I'm at it who cares who shops there? What does that have to do with the flippin' logo?

:confused:

[SurfPark]

A 2003 Neilson Trends report says that the average Walmart shopper is a female under 46 with a household income of $50,000 or above. (source: http://www2.acnielsen.com/pubs/2004_q1_ci_walmart.shtml) (http://www2.acnielsen.com/pubs/2004_q1_ci_walmart.shtml%29). Actually 46% of Walmart shoppers make more than $50k annually. For everyone that assumes Walmart caters to lower economic classes, wake up. The wealthy and the middle class love to save money too.

Negative perceptions of Walmart are valid as they are one of the largest American retailers and have a long history of devaluing their workers and manufacturing partners in order to reach their objective low sales. Not shopping at Walmart has become more of a political statement rather than assessment on quality.

I'm not really sure the Neilson data differs that much from the average Target shopper, but the discussions here show that Walmart has a huge perception problem. The logo should only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to re-branding. When "Save Money. Live Better" is your tagline, you might lose people that are looking for style.

Nielson did another report (http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/site/Public/menuitem.55dc65b4a7d5adff3f65936147a062a0/?vgnextoid=0bfef273110c7110VgnVCM100000ac0a260aRCR D) this past Janurary (2008) that showed the top five retailers on the web:
1. ebay
2. Amazon
3. Target
4. Walmart
5. Best Buy
6. Circuit City
7. Sears
8. Toys R Us
9. Overstock.com
10. JC Penny

Its hard to say if these rankings are due to the perception of Walmart, but I'd suspect that it might have something to do with it. To look at Target and Walmart's online stores, they look very similar, so usability probably isn't a factor. I think people put Walmart is the low-end corner of their mind...meaning its good for deodorant and shampoo, while Target is likely to come to mind when shopping for gifts. Of course one sales circular can change your mind in a second, but that's only when you find a specific item.

My faith that a logo may change the company's future is low. A company lives and dies on its principles. Walmart is only successful because the people share its values. Of course people want to save money and live better! There isn't full disclosure though. Everyone needs educate themselves in business operation in a capitalist system as well as understand Walmart's practices to form a well-educated opinion. I'll leave everyone to make their own judgments of the company.

[John G]

Negative perceptions of Walmart are valid as they are one of the largest American retailers and have a long history of devaluing their workers
you mean employing the unemployable?


*edit: no no surf, I'm actually agreeing with you. Wallyworld does the world more good than people give them credit for. Employing the unemployable, giving another chance to reformed criminals or employing the elderly (sometimes just to stand there and say "hello") is an incredibly good thing. Something that most stores wouldn't even think of.

[SurfPark]

you mean employing the unemployable?

Don't switch the point. Since not all Walmart employees are terrible at their jobs, we can't say that they all "deserve" to be treated badly.

I know nothing of their hiring practices, except I'd probably be more strict.

[SurfPark]

Just noticed this...the new Walmart logo looks as if someone hit the Target symbol and it popped. LOL.

[urstwile]

you mean employing the unemployable?
.
Nice. So the people working at Walmart as their second job to supplement their paltry income are unemployable?

Get off the stereotype train, JohnG.

[John G]

how bout you read the rest...

see how I was giving an example as to how they might have gotten that reputation? And then how later in the post I presented as to how that was commendable?

Never did I say all employees there were unemployable.

Pick another person for the whipping post plz.

[Rockk]

I did not originally post this to belittle Wal-Mart. I posted it because I thought that the fact that the World’s largest retailer was changing its logo was worthy of note.

I do not shop at Wal-Mart and I don’t plan to start shopping there. I have no thoughts on the quality, employability or education of their average employee. I don’t have any problems with their customers. I do have major concerns about Wal-Mart as a corporate citizen. Search Google for Wal-Mart problems and you’ll find the following issues and many more. Start at http://wakeupwalmart.com/facts/ to view supporting evidence.

A Substantial Number of Wal-Mart Associates earn far below the poverty line

Wal-Mart Associates don't earn enough to support a family

Wage increases would cost Wal-Mart relatively little

Wal-Mart forces employees to work off-the-clock

Wal-Mart executives did not act on warnings they were violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Wal-Mart's Health Care Plan Fails to Cover Over 775,000 Employees

Wal-Mart's Health Insurance Falls Far Short of Other Large Companies

Wal-Mart's Health Care Eligibility is Restrictive

All of Wal-Mart's Health Plans Are Too Costly for Many of Its Workers to Use

Wal-Mart Admits Public Health Care is a "Better Value"

Wal-Mart's Health Care is Getting Costlier

Wal-Mart Covers Less of the Health Care Costs Compared to Its Competitors

Wal-Mart's Health Care Spending Falls Below Industry Standards

Wal-Mart Only Spends 77 Cents an Hour Per Employee for Health Benefits

Wal-Mart Increased Advertising More Than Health Care

One Out of Six Wal-Mart Employees Has No Health Care Coverage At All

Your tax dollars pay for Wal-Mart's greed

Health care subsidies compared to executive compensation

Your tax dollars subsidize Wal-Mart's growth

Wal-Mart's growth negatively impact worker's wages

The Cost of Wal-Mart's entry into a community can be significant

Lower wages mean less money for communities

Wal-Mart hurts other businesses when it comes to town.

Wal-Mart destroys the environment

Wal-Mart desecrates sacred grounds

Wal-Mart's empty stores are blighting communities

Many of Wal-Mart's "American Suppliers" actually manufacture most or all of their products in China

Wal-Mart's Chinese factory workers are treated poorly

Elsewhere workers producing goods for Wal-Mart also face appalling conditions, despite Wal-Mart's factory inspection program

Wal-Mart and Worker Injuries

Wal-Mart cares little for the safety of its workers

Wal-Mart takes a combative approach to workers' compensation claims

Wal-Mart Non-Health Care Benefits

Wal-Mart fails to provide a secure retirement benefit for its employees.

Wal-Mart shares little of its $11 billion profits with employees.

Wal-Mart shifts retirement costs onto communities

Wal-Mart closes down stores and departments that unionize

Wal-Mart has issued "A Manager's Toolbox to Remaining Union Free,"

Wal-Mart is committed to an anti-union policy

Wal-Mart discriminates against women

Wal-Mart & Child Labor

Wal-Mart violates Child Labor Laws

[Blazer]

Hmm, I am really not digging the new logo. I can deal with the type treatment but that star burst thingy-ma-bob...I'm a bit shocked? I think?

I shop at Walmart to get decent prices - mostly groceries and dog food.

How does WalMart descriminate against women??

[Red Kittie Kat]

Wal-Mart Non-Health Care Benefits

You can add that to the list of about 90% of the companies out there

There are people that hate Walmart and people that love it.... I'm still not sure what that all has to do with this logo change.

[Sketcher]

I have to say this ... mod hat off ...

Boy... there sure is a lot of stereotyping going on in this thread ... How can we make assumptions of what people are by a visual?

I'm not trying to stereotype anyone. I was just making a statement based off of first hand experience. From the Walmart advertising that I've seen, they seem to be reaching towards the low income market. If we see a lot of rednecks (someone else's word, not mine), and African Americans at Walmart, I feel it is somewhat safe to assume that the those are the ones being reached by Walmart's low-income marketing strategy. We did exercises like this all the time in our advertising class back when I was in college.

[mojoprime]

wow. Man, this thread really did get off track. i live in arkansas, and i reckon in one way or another, we're responsible for giving the world wal-mart, since Sam was from Bentonville, up north, and that's still today where the world HQ is.

let's give it another perspective. they've brought a lot of jobs to our poor, mostly-country state. they employ a lot of folks, all across the economic spectrum. a lot of folks down here don't like them, but you have to respect what they did. they sort of brought back the old "five and dime" of the day, when you could walk in a store, buy some things for your family, and walk out with some money still in your pocket.

they let all colors and creeds go through their doors. white, black, yellow, green...you name it. who shops there doesn't necessarily define them, but it does give them a market. we go there because times are tough, and everybody needs to stretch a dollar a little more. their clients reflect our country (and our state) and believe it or not, as long as your money's green (in this country at least), they'll take it any way they can get it.

but this thread doesn't have anything to do with race, creed or socio-economic place in the world, and it shouldn't.

i think we can all agree that though they're the world's largest retailer with a lot of money in those coffers, they probably didn't necessarily make the best choice graphically for their new image. but i wouldn't count them out. i'm sure there's a reason for the choices they made, and as the rest of their new retail strategy unfolds, we'll be able to comment on that as well. and they've made some missteps -- they tried to carry high-end clothes and furnishings and they did wrong by their employees on more than one occasion.

but i imagine we'll see how it plays out. it should be an interesting case study: they've been around awhile, and they've got a lot invested in that other image (and color scheme), so this ought to be interesting to see how they change it.

let's focus on that, folks. and let the other stuff be.

[Randomhero]

You can add that to the list of about 90% of the companies out there

There are people that hate Walmart and people that love it.... I'm still not sure what that all has to do with this logo change.

Wal-Mart has a reputation for putting small/family businesses out of business. People complain a lot about that but as I see it, people like their money more than small town shops. If you can get something for almost half the price at Wal-Mart as you could at a small shop it seems only natural to go with the cheaper price.

I personally don't like Wal-Mart simply for its long lines, and montrous feel. However; if its between buying a bag of chips for 3.50 at a gas station or for 2.50 at Wal-Mart those feelings slip into the background. I'm sure thats the way a lot of haters feel lol.

[urstwile]

how bout you read the rest...

see how I was giving an example as to how they might have gotten that reputation? And then how later in the post I presented as to how that was commendable?

Never did I say all employees there were unemployable.

Pick another person for the whipping post plz.

You're right, JohnG, sorta. I apologize for making you feel like I was putting you on the whipping post. Although a review of your post included the unemployable, convicted felons, and the elderly. I suspect that's not the entire demographic of folks who work there.

So I'll stand semi-corrected.