Walmart Refreshes Its Image via ‘Who Knew?’ Ad Campaign Featuring Walton Goggins

Fresh on the heels of its logo update and introduction of AI assistant Sparky, Walmart is now taking another step towards revamping its image, doing so via a new ad campaign featuring Hollywood actor Walton Goggins.

Goggins, currently enjoying recent fame due to his inclusion on popular series including “White Lotus,” “Fallout,” and “The Righteous Gemstones,” is front-and-center in the midst of Walmart’s latest marketing blitz, according to Forbes.

In the ad kicking off the campaign (available on YouTube), Goggins can be seen partaking in a sauna, engaging in a hunt for a sasquatch, playing the keys in a rustic jazz and blues bar, and finally lining up with a group of country dancers.

The throughline uniting all of these various vignettes is a twist on The Who’s 1978 single “Who Are You,” with actors voicing over the “Who, who, who, who?” refrain with “Who knew? Who knew?” in reference to Walmart’s countless products on offer — syncing up with the official “Walmart. Who knew?” title attached to the campaign.

In comments shared with Forbes, Neil Saunders — GlobalData managing director and RetailWire BrainTrust member — endorsed the thrust of the humorous advertising move coming from the blue-and-yellow brand.

“Walmart’s new ad campaign is designed to make consumers rethink their perceptions of the brand. It hits all the right notes. It is funny and engaging, uses great actors and its message actually makes people pause and think,” Saunders said.

The ad was created by Publicis Groupe’s Leo Burnett NY, Fallon, Digitas, and Contender agencies. A Spanish-language version showcasing the talents of “Brooklyn 99” actress Stephanie Beatriz is also slated for release, with campaigns spanning social media, traditional television, and Reddit forums.

Walmart’s Brand Refresh Efforts Follow Gains in Higher-Income Consumers

And although Walmart has always been known as a low-cost leader, it has attracted a significant share of higher-income customers in recent days.

As Forbes senior contributor Pamela N. Danziger underlined, the confluence of efforts the retailer has made over the course of the past few months signals an intent to change its image, at least somewhat, from a staid discount retailer into a digitally driven and trending brand — counterbalanced with the knowledge that it also needs to retain broader appeal with its established middle-American foundation.

“The wider point is that the ad is not produced in isolation. It is part of an ongoing mission to broaden the appeal of Walmart and it highlights tangible changes the company has made on the ground. A low-price message is still at the heart of Walmart, but it is now so much more than this. When it comes to online shopping, Amazon is often the default. Walmart is trying to break this habitual thought pattern and is saying, ‘Look, we’re here – give us a try,’” Saunders concluded.