Walmart’s New Logo

Wal-Mart is now Walmart and they’ve got a happy, shiny, new logo:

Wal-Mart is now Walmart and they have a new logo to go along with it

The “Save Money. Live Better.” branding is probably a step forward. I’m rather dubious about the non-hyphenated name change, although that was actually the store’s original name.

The logo is an improvement over its very dated predecessor but I share Armin‘s reaction of, “Really? This is the best Walmart can do”? Tyler Cowen thinks it “at least ten years overdue.” Andrew Sullivan is non-committal but passes on a critical review.

A history of Wal-Mart/Walmart’s logos below the fold.  Interestingly, aside from the informal lower case font and curious asterisk, this is very much Back to the Future, resembling the very first logo much more than any of its successors.

Walmart's Logos Throughout the Years

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Bithead says:

    The lukewarm reactions are an encouraging thing, from Wally World’s perspective. Look;

    They’re already the market leader in the class, and therefore the new logo isn’t going to substantially increase their position by increasing recognition, which is what a good graphic (logo) is supposed to do. What the change does as you suggest, is replace a logo that was getting somewhat dated, which, the thinking goes, eventually would have detracted from their position.

    This new one, then, is a preventitive measure.
    If you want the honest truth, I doubt it’ll be much noticed… and in the end, that’s what they’re after, here.

  2. Dave Schuler says:

    How about a contest for best new slogan for Walmart? For example

    Better living through Chinese imports

    sounds like a winner to me.

  3. James Joyner says:

    Better living through Chinese imports

    Indeed.

    Apropos of nothing in particular, incidentally, I’ve gotten two more comments on this post than I have of the Iran nukes post, despite the latter being published earlier and having more substantive information. For whatever that’s worth…

  4. Dave Schuler says:

    I was going to comment on that post but decided to frame my comment as an update (which I’m working on).

  5. Michael says:

    Apropos of nothing in particular, incidentally, I’ve gotten two more comments on this post than I have of the Iran nukes post, despite the latter being published earlier and having more substantive information. For whatever that’s worth…

    Yes well, who wants to compete with “JewSA”?

  6. Bithead says:

    Apropos of nothing in particular, incidentally, I’ve gotten two more comments on this post than I have of the Iran nukes post, despite the latter being published earlier and having more substantive information. For whatever that’s worth…

    Gimme a chance, I’m still catching up on this morning’s mail. Busy day before a holiday, ya know. 🙂

  7. Mark Jaquith says:

    Love the new slogan. Not sure I like the new logo. It’s too timid and friendly. The little asterisk/sunburst thing is atrocious. The whole thing reminds me of the Brighthouse logo.

  8. David R. Block says:

    Having worked at a US WalMart vendor, the star was introduced when Sam died. “He was our guiding star” was supposed to be the rationale at the time.