Walmart recently unveiled a new logo, sparking considerable conversation online. The retail giant announced that the updated branding reflects its evolution as a tech-powered omnichannel retailer. The redesign aims to better represent who Walmart is today.
Some key features of the brand refresh include a wordmark inspired by founder Sam Walton’s classic trucker hat. The wordmark has been brought to life with a modern, custom font that differentiates Walmart from the crowd. The spark that is part of the logo exudes the energy of Walmart.
The color palette leans on the retailer’s most recognizable tones and its heritage of blue, with new updates to keep the brand fresh. Walmart plans to apply the refreshed branding across various channels and customer touchpoints. This includes its website, app, and stores, starting in January 2025.
The rollout process began in October 2024, and remaining stores will continue to be redesigned over time. The new logo has generated reactions on social media. Many users suggested that the retailer’s new look is strikingly similar to its old one.
Before and after pictures of Walmart’s new wordmark and logo have been shared.
Walmart’s updated logo and branding
They provide a side-by-side comparison of the changes.
Gabe Hauari, a national trending news reporter, noted the public’s mixed reactions to the redesign. Walmart said the new logo, featuring a bolder and blockier font along with a deeper blue hue, aims to evoke the company’s past while looking forward to a more digital future. William White, Walmart’s US Chief Marketing Officer, said in a statement: “This update, rooted in the legacy of our founder, Sam Walton, demonstrates our evolving capabilities and longstanding commitment to serve our customers of today and tomorrow.
White added, “While the look and feel of our brand is more contemporary, our refreshed brand identity reflects Walmart’s enduring commitment to both Sam’s principles and serving our customers however they need us.”
The last time Walmart rebranded was in 2008.
It dropped the punctuation between “Wal” and “Mart,” which it had kept for 44 years, and introduced the yellow spark icon. This change comes as Walmart aims to push beyond traditional brick-and-mortar retail into the e-commerce market, reflecting its vision for a more modern and digital future. Reactions on social media have been swift and fierce.
Critics were quick to mock the rebrand, with posts saying, “I can’t believe they paid for this” and “They’re the same picture.” However, the design community has had a markedly different response, with many praising the subtle, yet effective changes. Many designers and branding experts point out that Walmart’s new look is a refresh, not a rebrand. The updated colors feel bolder, the new font and logo more impactful, yet there’s no risk of consumers mistaking the assets for belonging to anyone other than Walmart.
Georgia Coggan, an editor, described the refresh as “the truest definition of a glow-up.” She commended it as a standout job that accentuates the best parts of the existing design. Polly Hopkins of FutureBrand London echoed this sentiment, suggesting that changes in brand identity don’t need to be seismic if the business itself is not shifting its strategy or audience. Even Walmart itself joined in the fun, posting a tongue-in-cheek look at what could happen if the logo continues to evolve over the next century: “The future is bright…and slightly more thick.”
In the end, all this discussion has brought massive attention to Walmart.
And for a retail giant, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
