Copyright Adweek
Every Who down in “WhoKnewVille” struggles with holiday chaos, but an unexpected savior is sweeping in to save the season. Walmart’s holiday campaign, launched today (Oct. 26), reimagines Dr. Seuss’s whimsical world of Whoville, the setting for the classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas, through a collaboration with Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Called WhoKnewVille, Walmart’s version resembles the Grinch’s hometown, with magic in the air and residents sporting their signature exaggerated hairstyles. However, their cheer is dimmed by the pressures of holiday preparations—much like it is for Walmart customers, William White, Walmart’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, told ADWEEK. “The holidays are a time of joy, but also a time of stress,” he said. In the ads, the retailer positions itself as a stress reliever, as Mindy Lou Who, the Grinch, and other Whos find the perfect gifts on Walmart’s app. The campaign includes 50 “WhoKnewVille” executions playing out over the season, mirroring the consumer holiday journey—from gift searches to Black Friday deals to last-minute shopping. Starting with Sunday Night Football tonight, it will have prominent placements across YouTube, social media, ecommerce, influencer partnerships, and more. It was developed by Publicis Groupe agencies including Fallon, Leo NY, the Community, Contender, and Digitas. Changing customer perceptions The campaign continues Walmart’s “Who Knew” platform, which debuted in June with an ad starring actor Walton Goggins, under the premise: “Who knew Walmart had all of this?” That campaign followed a major brand refresh and new logo in January. “Earlier this year, we recognized we’d made a lot of progress in our business and how we serve customers, but customer perception had not caught up to that progress,” White said. Under the new platform, Walmart is trying to drive awareness of its digital and mobile shopping experiences, breadth of products online, express delivery, and membership program. The holiday campaign continues toward those same goals, with the Whos using Walmart’s app to shop for gifts and find deals, all in the nick of time for Christmas. A modern twist on entertainment Walmart has a history of leaning on entertainment and nostalgia in its holiday campaigns. Last year, it ran a 10-part series spoofing genres like soap operas, period dramas, and action. In 2023, it reunited the cast of Mean Girls, while a 2022 spot featured stars from Office Space. “We’re leaning into IP that people know and doing it with a fun, modern take,” White said. This year’s holiday effort is bigger, however, because it uses the same concept across Walmart’s seasonal marketing. Previous ads, like the Mean Girls revival, were part of broader campaigns with different executions, White said. “Keeping a central idea throughout the season was important,” he added. “We know it drives interest, relatability, and cultural conversation.” Walmart’s holiday campaign launches on the same day as Target’s in a crucial period for retailers. However, Walmart’s business has recently outpaced its rival; while Target’s shares have fallen by 65% since their peak in late 2021, Walmart shares have risen about 123% in the past five years. Target is expected to lay off 8% of its corporate staff this week.
