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Wal-Mart Set to Launch New Ad Campaign

After a year of turmoil that included the hiring and dismissal of two top executives, an agency review and an agency review re-do, Wal-Mart is about to launch a new campaign and a new focus.

The retailer, which for 44 years touted the message “Low prices, always,” began to invite customers to “look beyond the basics” last year, offering higher-priced products. But the upscale strategy has yet to pay off, and the new message will be, “Saving people money so they can live better lives,” reports The New York Times.

The new message will be evident on the shelves of 4,000 stores and in ads across the country, according to Stephen Quinn, Wal-Mart’s new chief marketing officer, and John Fleming, the new chief merchandising officer.

Wal-Mart has grouped its customers into three segments, and will market to them based on those groups: the “brand aspirationals” have low incomes but are obsessed with brand names; the “price-sensitive affluents” are wealthier shoppers who love deals; and the “value-price shoppers” like low prices and cannot afford higher ones.

New advertising is being developed by the Martin Agency in Richmond, Va.