WWTBAM Bored

And they're getting rid of the hypen too:

They should just go with popular demand and change it to 'WallyWorld".

Or even better: Wallyw rld

jaybee wrote:They should just go with popular demand and change it to 'WallyWorld".

I thought that was the nickname for Walt Disney World.

Bob Juch wrote:And they're getting rid of the hypen too:

Trading the hyphen for an asterisk?

MarleysGh0st wrote:

Bob Juch wrote:And they're getting rid of the hypen too:

Trading the hyphen for an asterisk?

The "asterisk" (there's actually a story about what it is and what it symbolizes and is supposed to mean to the customer in the latest employee rag, but I didn't pay much attention to it) is all over our signage and advertising, so it wouldn't surprise me if they are going to incorporate it into the new logo. It's part of the new corporate image facelift to be the place to save in the bad economy...

And I guess it wouldn't affect the "squiggly" part of the cheer since the hyphen had already replaced the squiggly a couple decades ago....

lb13

Bob Juch wrote:And they're getting rid of the hypen too:

This has got to be some sort of sick joke. I figured it was a gag when I read the subject, but that picture doesn't present any sort of funniousity, so I can't see the point of photoshopping time.

Other than that, who is the brilliant mind behind this and how much money did they get for it? I'm not as attached to the Walmart logo as I was to the blue vests, but that's going backward, not forward. The font and layout look like something that Mad Men would scoff at for being too old fashioned.

Sir_Galahad wrote:

jaybee wrote:They should just go with popular demand and change it to 'WallyWorld".

I thought that was the nickname for Walt Disney World.

Wally World is the Griswold vacation destination of choice.

Wal-Mart is Mecca. Or, in our family, Lori-Mart (my sister goes there a lot, she makes me look like one of those anti-Walton types. Ha!).

littlebeast13 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:

Bob Juch wrote:And they're getting rid of the hypen too:

Trading the hyphen for an asterisk?

The "asterisk" (there's actually a story about what it is and what it symbolizes and is supposed to mean to the customer in the latest employee rag, but I didn't pay much attention to it) is all over our signage and advertising, so it wouldn't surprise me if they are going to incorporate it into the new logo. It's part of the new corporate image facelift to be the place to save in the bad economy...

And I guess it wouldn't affect the "squiggly" part of the cheer since the hyphen had already replaced the squiggly a couple decades ago....

lb13

You mean THIS IS TRUE? My God, what's next, the end of the Rollback? Please find your rag and give me the scoop on this.

littlebeast13 wrote: And I guess it wouldn't affect the "squiggly" part of the cheer since the hyphen had already replaced the squiggly a couple decades ago....

I'd go with one of the nicknames of the asterisk and change the lyrics to "Gimme a splat!"

Here's Fanny! wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote: Trading the hyphen for an asterisk?

The "asterisk" (there's actually a story about what it is and what it symbolizes and is supposed to mean to the customer in the latest employee rag, but I didn't pay much attention to it) is all over our signage and advertising, so it wouldn't surprise me if they are going to incorporate it into the new logo. It's part of the new corporate image facelift to be the place to save in the bad economy...

And I guess it wouldn't affect the "squiggly" part of the cheer since the hyphen had already replaced the squiggly a couple decades ago....

lb13

You mean THIS IS TRUE? My God, what's next, the end of the Rollback? Please find your rag and give me the scoop on this.

I don't know if it's true or not (Though it looks like th elink to the photo is off the WSJ site, so it may very well be). I do know that all of our signing this year has changed over to that font and that goofy looking asterisk. I have not seen the Wal~Mart logo itself done like that, but a lot of the other stuff already looks like that....

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:

Here's Fanny! wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:
The "asterisk" (there's actually a story about what it is and what it symbolizes and is supposed to mean to the customer in the latest employee rag, but I didn't pay much attention to it) is all over our signage and advertising, so it wouldn't surprise me if they are going to incorporate it into the new logo. It's part of the new corporate image facelift to be the place to save in the bad economy...

And I guess it wouldn't affect the "squiggly" part of the cheer since the hyphen had already replaced the squiggly a couple decades ago....

lb13

You mean THIS IS TRUE? My God, what's next, the end of the Rollback? Please find your rag and give me the scoop on this.

I don't know if it's true or not (Though it looks like th elink to the photo is off the WSJ site, so it may very well be). I do know that all of our signing this year has changed over to that font and that goofy looking asterisk. I have not seen the Wal~Mart logo itself done like that, but a lot of the other stuff already looks like that....

lb13

They must be working from East to West, because I haven't seen anything like that. Unless it's just the regular Wal-marts that are changing (I'm still stunned that your Wal-mart actually has hours other than '24-7').

MarleysGh0st wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote: And I guess it wouldn't affect the "squiggly" part of the cheer since the hyphen had already replaced the squiggly a couple decades ago....

I'd go with one of the nicknames of the asterisk and change the lyrics to "Gimme a splat!"

I will have to look at that story again when I get to work tonight and see what the deal is with the asterisk. I know that sometimes it is only half an asterisk, and that's supposed to have some kind of subliminal meaning to the customer too....

lb13

Here's Fanny! wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

Here's Fanny! wrote: You mean THIS IS TRUE? My God, what's next, the end of the Rollback? Please find your rag and give me the scoop on this.

I don't know if it's true or not (Though it looks like th elink to the photo is off the WSJ site, so it may very well be). I do know that all of our signing this year has changed over to that font and that goofy looking asterisk. I have not seen the Wal~Mart logo itself done like that, but a lot of the other stuff already looks like that....

lb13

They must be working from East to West, because I haven't seen anything like that. Unless it's just the regular Wal-marts that are changing (I'm still stunned that your Wal-mart actually has hours other than '24-7').

No funny powder blue signs with asterisks and boldly proclaiming "Save Money, Live Better!" in your Mecca? I find it hard to believe it's not company wide by now.

There are a lot of people who share your belief that Wal~Marts are all supposed to be 24 hour stores, but all of the non-Supercenters around here are 7-11. Thankfully, out Supercenter remodel has now been pushed back another year because they dug up a bunch of Indian artifacts while breaking ground for the expansion in the field next to us, so we've got at leats another 20 months of not having to deal with customers at night.....

lb13

Yes, this is for real. I'm sure some company charged Walmart* a few million for the new design and its customer opinion testing.

As for what the asterisk means, you'll have to read the fine print.

littlebeast13 wrote:I will have to look at that story again when I get to work tonight and see what the deal is with the asterisk. I know that sometimes it is only half an asterisk, and that's supposed to have some kind of subliminal meaning to the customer too....

lb13

To me, 'half an asterisk' subliminally translates to 'half-assed'.

littlebeast13 wrote:No funny powder blue signs with asterisks and boldly proclaiming "Save Money, Live Better!" in your Mecca? I find it hard to believe it's not company wide by now.

Not that I've seen. The newer ones (which are the closest to me since I moved it on up to the east side) have "Lower Prices. Always" in script on the building. But I don't notice things a lot of the time.

As fate would have it, I'm making a pilgrimage this afternoon, so I'll pay attention while I'm there. All of our stores are Super, though.

Bob Juch wrote:Yes, this is for real. I'm sure some company charged Walmart* a few million for the new design and its customer opinion testing.

As for what the asterisk means, you'll have to read the fine print.

Credit where it's due. That was funny.

Here's Fanny! wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:I will have to look at that story again when I get to work tonight and see what the deal is with the asterisk. I know that sometimes it is only half an asterisk, and that's supposed to have some kind of subliminal meaning to the customer too....

lb13

To me, 'half an asterisk' subliminally translates to 'half-assed'.

littlebeast13 wrote:No funny powder blue signs with asterisks and boldly proclaiming "Save Money, Live Better!" in your Mecca? I find it hard to believe it's not company wide by now.

Not that I've seen. The newer ones (which are the closest to me since I moved it on up to the east side) have "Lower Prices. Always" in script on the building. But I don't notice things a lot of the time.

As fate would have it, I'm making a pilgrimage this afternoon, so I'll pay attention while I'm there. All of our stores are Super, though.

I was talking about the signage in the store.... on the displays, features, hanging from the ceiling, etc. Nothing on the outside of our building has changed (Other than the signs in the vestibule windows)...... yet!

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:I was talking about the signage in the store.... on the displays, features, hanging from the ceiling, etc. Nothing on the outside of our building has changed (Other than the signs in the vestibule windows)...... yet!

lb13

Yeah, what I meant was the only thing I ever notice is the writing on the outside of the building. I walk through the store in my own little world and don't pay any attention to anything. It took me forever to notice those dumb little tvs. But when I'm there today, I'm actually going to take a look at my surroundings for a change.

I swiped a copy of the employee rag last night and here is verbatim what the asterisk.... er, make that spark is supposed to symbolize....





The Full Spark:

The full spark is our symbol for "smart". It represents the "spark of inspiration" that Mr. Sam had when he first started Wal~Mart and when he made smart choices for the company throughout its history. The hottest flame ignites with just one spark. So do great ideas.


The Half Spark:

LB's Note: imagine the above image, but only the top three prongs

The half spark is always placed above (never beneath) words and images to signal an inspiring idea or an inspired person or product.



So there you have what the spark stands for... courtesy of Larry Fine, Minister of Propaganda....

lb13

Here's Fanny! wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:I will have to look at that story again when I get to work tonight and see what the deal is with the asterisk. I know that sometimes it is only half an asterisk, and that's supposed to have some kind of subliminal meaning to the customer too....

lb13

To me, 'half an asterisk' subliminally translates to 'half-assed'.

littlebeast13 wrote:No funny powder blue signs with asterisks and boldly proclaiming "Save Money, Live Better!" in your Mecca? I find it hard to believe it's not company wide by now.

Not that I've seen. The newer ones (which are the closest to me since I moved it on up to the east side) have "Lower Prices. Always" in script on the building. But I don't notice things a lot of the time.

As fate would have it, I'm making a pilgrimage this afternoon, so I'll pay attention while I'm there. All of our stores are Super, though.

Okay, here's my report. We have neither a squiggly nor a hyphen, we have a star! Wal*Mart, only not an asterisk, but a five pointed star. Maybe that's the Supercenter designation?

I'm such a dork that I even checked out on the opposite side of where I came in just to check out all possible signage. Over each door is a Save Money. Live Better sign with the asterisk/orange seed thing that you describe. And between the two down the front aisle are signs with the same slogan, but have pictures of people in various stages of enjoyment.

No other signs throughout the entire store. Which must be why I never noticed them before. Also, no signs of the BTS sale yet. But it would be pushing it when it was still June.

Here's Fanny! wrote:Okay, here's my report. We have neither a squiggly nor a hyphen, we have a star! Wal*Mart, only not an asterisk, but a five pointed star. Maybe that's the Supercenter designation?

Nope, that's the standard Wal~Mart logo now with the star. When I started 10 years ago, you saw the hyphen and star versions about the same number of times. It's almost exclusively a star now... though for how long......?

Here's Fanny! wrote:I'm such a dork that I even checked out on the opposite side of where I came in just to check out all possible signage. Over each door is a Save Money. Live Better sign with the asterisk/orange seed thing that you describe. And between the two down the front aisle are signs with the same slogan, but have pictures of people in various stages of enjoyment.

No other signs throughout the entire store. Which must be why I never noticed them before. Also, no signs of the BTS sale yet. But it would be pushing it when it was still June.

Our BTS aisle has been getting set all week long, but I don't think the bargains have started yet.

I wonder if you have those stupid asterisk labelled cardboard inserts in your stackbase features like we have. They are a pain in the butt, and I hate trying to build features around them....

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote: The Full Spark:

The full spark is our symbol for "smart". It represents the "spark of inspiration" that Mr. Sam had when he first started Wal~Mart and when he made smart choices for the company throughout its history. The hottest flame ignites with just one spark. So do great ideas.

Oh, that'd be a really popular advertising line in Northern California, right now!




However, curmudgeonly science guy has to object that the heat of a flame is a function of the chemical reaction between a particular fuel and oxidizer and not the method of ignition!

To the Walmart boss:

Hey Sparky! No one who shops at your stores gives a crap about changing your logo. The only ones who are happy about it are the graphic designers you hired for way too many of your employees' and stockholders' bucks and the recyclers who will receive 100 tons of obsolete stationery. Coca Cola and Johnson & Johnson have had the same logo for over 100 years. You got a problem with those, too?

Changing logos is like corporate reorganization - gives the appearance of change to the public while leaving the underlying core of problems untouched.

Hey now -- does this mean we have to get dressed up now to go to Walmart*??

So there you have what the spark stands for... courtesy of Larry Fine, Minister of Propaganda....

What happened to Moe and Curly?