For millions of gym-goers and holiday spenders, January is the time to redefine themselves, and apparently the same might be said for Walmart.
For the first time since 2008, the big-box chain has updated its logo, taking a nod from the font that was inspired by a trucker hat that founder Sam Walton was known to wear. The Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant has rolled out what it’s calling “an updated brand identity,” but shoppers need to look pretty closely to see the differences between the new and the old logo. The lettering is a little heftier and the blue is little brighter.
Walmart’s new branding is a combination of True Blue and Spark Yellow — the colors are consistent but the hues have been slightly spruced up. Fans of the National Football League’s Los Angeles Rams can relate to their favorite team’s colors. Ditto for residents of Ukraine, since those are the hues that are featured in equal parts in the country’s national flag. It is being used on exterior store signs, tote bags, employees, in-store displays and T-shirts, tote bags and bucket hats among other places.
A company spokesperson did not respond immediately to a request asking which company or designer created the new logo for the retailer, which raked in $648.1 billion in sales for the fiscal year 2024.
Walmart’s new branding uses a brighter blue.
Image Courtesy Walmart
William White, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Walmart, which dates back to 1951, said the update is “rooted in the legacy” of Walton and “demonstrates our evolving capabilities and longstanding commitment to serve our customers of today and tomorrow. As our customers evolve, we will too. Our Walmart will always be their Walmart, and our brand will always be a testament to how we innovate and change alongside them.”
Eagle-eyed consumers may have spotted the logo first cropping up starting in October in the company’s Springdale, Ark., store. This month, the refreshed brand is now being rolled out on its site, its app, the Bentonville headquarters and other common points with spenders.
The retailer’s wordmark before and after the update.
Image Courtesy Walmart
Walmart last overhauled its logo in 2008, thanks to Lippincott, which dropped the hyphen in its name and added its yellow “spark” symbol, which had first been used on company trucks the year before. The latest logo update appears to be the 15th one in the company’s history. With its omnichannel business and more than 10,500 stores in 19 countries, Walmart shoppers don’t have to look too far to find an outpost. The rebooted branding, however, might require a before-and-after comparison to find the differences.
