Wal-Mart's new look, same old habits...

Wal-Mart's new campaign to change it's image is underway. If you have watched any television in the last week you might have come across their new ads which steer towards a completley different direction from their previous advertisements. Their new ads show higher priced items such as "High Definition TV's" or "Designer Clothes" with their new slogan "The more you save, the more you smile" Trying to become more 'hip' and appeal to the young-adult demographic they steer away from their smiley ads. The smiley ads with their discount message "had almost become a little bit of wallpaper," says Stephen Quinn, Wal-Mart's senior vice president of marketing. "Our customers weren't saying anything new about the brand." Wal-Mart is planing to re-model at least half of its stores throughout the US in the next 18 monthes, these changes are much needed due to Wal-Mart consistantally missing Wal-Street's expectations despite their profit rise. The re-modeling breaks down to at least 1,800 stores in the next 18 monthes, plus another 1,500 stores which Wal-Mart plans to open this year throughout America, their main goal is to have every American at least 5 Miles away from a Wal-Mart. The Campaign actually concedes that shoppers do not think of the chain as a destination for fashion, In one print ad a woman arrives at a store looking for eyedrops, to her suprise she discovers smart apparel and loves it, the ad doesnt end with their usual token "Always low-prices" they end with "look beyond the basics". Beyond basics?? How basic is having Wal-Mart, the largest and one of the most economically successful employers in the entire history of the world providing health-care and a decent wage for employees??? Wal-Mart can change their image all they want, but until they basically start acting like a responsible employer we cannot look beyond the basics.