Marketing is crucial for any product to find relevance among consumers, but while it's a hit-or-miss for new players, brands with an image etched in people's minds sometimes make changes that backfire. After luxury carmaker Jaguar, retail giant Walmart has come under fire after unveiling a "comprehensive brand refresh," under which it redesigned its famous yellow logo with a blue background. The updated logo is a thicker rendition of the previous logo that resembles Walmart founder Sam Walton’s “classic trucker hat.” Walmart stated that the new logo reflects the company's "evolution as a people-led, tech-powered retailer."
However, it seems like the brand refresh has left shoppers underwhelmed since social media has been flooded with memes, jokes, and criticism of Walmart's new logo.
The internet has called out Walmart’s brand refresh feel for being not so fresh after all. Shoppers have shared a load of memes mocking the new logo that looks a lot like the previous one. "Walmart just unveiled their new logo. It looks the fuc#!ng same," wrote @TiffanyFong_ on X (formerly Twitter).
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Many wondered how the design meetings would have gone before the revamp was pitched, approved, and produced. Some were in shock that the company actually paid for the redesign.
People claimed that the designers made a fortune without doing anything at all. "And you know some NYC ad agency was paid millions to think up this dramatic change LOL," commented @imbrettcooper.
However, there were a few people who suggested that the change was significant when looked at from a different perspective. "A lot of people are hating on the Walmart logo redesign, but if you've ever been a third-grade girl, you can tell that the new logo is completely different — the old one is a sun, and the new one is a flower. 😁," suggested @KelleyKga.
Some even claimed that it was the "PERFECT MARKETING STRATEGY" as the logo has managed to generate quite a lot of buzz, and everyone is talking about it.
The observation is similar to what people pointed out in the case of Jaguar, which also got a lot of heat for its drastic brand revamp. While people questioned if their new strategy would work, many suggested that it was already successful given the widespread media coverage and social media buzz.
According to Walmart's official news release, the updated branding "better represents who Walmart is today." The company stated that its logo, a wordmark inspired by Sam Walton's classic trucker hat has been refreshed with a "modern, custom font that differentiates Walmart from the crowd."
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Furthermore, the company added that the new spark "exudes the energy of Walmart" and the refreshed color palette "leans on the retailer's most recognizable tones and its heritage of blue." The release added that the new updates keep the brand fresh and will usher in a new era for the company.
The retailer said the process of the revamp began in October 2024 and the company will begin applying the refreshed branding across various channels including its mobile app, website, and stores, in January 2025. While a few stores have already been revamped, the remaining stores will be redesigned over time.
