Wal-Mart Updates Tagline With Lifestyle-Conscious Message
By Colleen Bohen -- TWICE, 9/24/2007
BENTONVILLE, ARK. — Wal-Mart, a retailer that has built a reputation on its price-based appeal, replaced its 19-year old tagline "Always low prices" with "Save Money. Live Better."
A company spokeswoman told TWICE that the new tagline is "about storytelling." She explained that the retailer is looking to convey the message that it is not only concerned with providing the lowest price, but also with showing customers how the savings they receive "translate to in their lives."
She said the new message still reflects the company's traditional values but that it is phrased in a way that "transcends to reach low-, middle- and high-income customers."
In her interview with TWICE, the spokeswoman referred to a statement made by Tony Rogers, Wal-Mart's advertising VP, to help explain the new slogan. He said the new tagline is "simply a restatement of Sam Walton's vision for the company: 'We save people money so they can live better.'"
Rogers said, "This new line lets us be very direct about the role we play in our customers' lives. Yes, it's about saving money, but that's only half of the equation. It's also about what those savings mean, and that's where Wal-Mart has its most profound impact on people's lives.
"We know our customers, and no matter how much money they make, either lower or higher income, they all come to Wal-Mart to save money. 'Always low prices' is an iconic message and still a part of our everyday operation and marketing lexicon, but our advertising tagline is now 'Save Money. Live Better.'"
The launch of the new tagline and accompanying advertising campaign comes after a series of recent key brand additions to the retailer's product assortment over the past year across a variety of categories. Some notably higher-end additions in the electronics realm have included brands like Dell, Sony, Samsung and Toshiba.
The advertising campaign accompanying the new tagline includes 30-second TV spots "illustrating how saving money on the little things adds up and helps families live better." The company said each ad will include a tag for www.SaveMoneyLiveBetter.com, which features the new ads, customer testimonials on how they've saved by shopping at Wal-Mart and more.
