Comments on: Walmart re-brand: Starburst, asterisk or sphincter?

By: Robert E. Coli

Robert E. Coli — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:45:26 +0000

Interesting research article regarding the history of the Asterisk*, absolutely vital for the survival of companies as worthy as ours. Regards, Robert E. Coli CEO Thromby Air - Lowest of the Low www.thrombyair.com * while this is presented as historical research, like all research it may not be entirely accurate.

By: Michelle Bowen

Michelle Bowen — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:52:19 +0000

I came by this little website because of an email I had recieved about how walmart (however you want to spell it) was rebranding. Hmmm. I didn’t notice a change either. At first glance, the new thing on the end looked like the sun to me. It probably looks like something different for everyone, actually. I laughed hard about the sphincter, though. Soon, wally worlds will have driven out all the other stores, and will raise its prices again-and we will have no choice but to shop there because it will literally be our ONLY choice. Sphincter, sun, starburst or whatever, theres some fine print were not seeing.

By: Net Age

Net Age — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:30:12 +0000

Sphincter is pretty much spot-on, considering what they have done to small retailers all over the place. Pucker up folks, here comes some more cheap Chinese crapola to consume

By: Branda | Trade Marks

Branda | Trade Marks — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:39:36 +0000

I have to say that Walmart has changed their logo look a lot but I suppose that this does tend to happens things become more modern, this site is informative

By: A Wider Net » Marketing Technology » » Blog Archive » Confessions of a Social Media Virgin

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:06:45 +0000

[...] researching about rebranding efforts I came across The Responsible Marketing Blog posting about Walmart’s rebrand. Not only was it funny, it was informative. I found that my research was directing me to all [...]

By: The Snark Ascending

The Snark Ascending — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:56:43 +0000

Aww. In my heart, they’ve always been Sphincter Mart.

By: Rikki

Rikki — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 08:00:31 +0000

Actually the change was not that noticeable for me. I just now realized the change since I mostly just go in and go out without bothering to look at the sign out front or on the bags. It didn’t hit me until they actually started rearranging everything the store, much to my initial disdain but now everything’s placed together in a more convenient way. I don’t have go clear across the store to get toothpaste when everything else I’m buying is in the grocery section. To me the new logo does look more approachable. Less corporate and more people friendly. The asterisk seems a bit odd but it looks like a flower almost which goes with the whole friendlier image they’re trying to portray.

By: CLClark

CLClark — Mon, 04 May 2009 01:01:54 +0000

Thank you, Mike for clarifying a question that has been burning in my mind. I, personally, love Walmart. I appreciate the opportunity and products that they bring to small markets. The ease of conducting commerce there is something that I appreciate, and it is something that I cannot find in other stores. I know what to expect when I go into a Walmart and I know that they will make it right if I don’t get it. I was very curious about the new symbol, and have a greater respect for it now that I know for what it symbolizes. Walmart is not a soul less creature, rather, it is a corporation, like many others, which is run by people. And those people seem committed to fulfilling Sam Walton’s vision of friendly customer service, and providing people with things that they want and need at a low price.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:22:32 +0000

Here’s what I can tell you from discussions I have had with friends that work for the company at their HQ.

First, the “asterisk”, is a star. The star in the center of the logo actually had a meaning and represented the founder, Sam M. Walton. It was put there in his honor after his death so that he would never be forgotten.

The removal of the star completely would have been very controversial (just changing it created an uproar at the home office) so it was modernized and moved to the end.

By: Tim Girvin

Tim Girvin — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 02:49:29 +0000

First of all, I’d suggest that this isn’t a logo, or a logotype, or a brandmark, a symbolic presentation of content and concept, or — for that matter — an anatomical representation. I think that — once again — it goes back to the generic legacy of what WalMart actually is — generic. It’s “general”. There’s really no personality — because, there’s really no person. And that is, to my thinking, the truth of it. I don’t believe that it actually has an identity – I believe that WalMart actually lives in the shadow world of commerce, cut downs, vendor smashing and a kind of effluent approach to “consumer” (and I mean that in every sense of the word) offerings that are inherently soul-less. WalMart is about absolute absence of personality. Go there, and what do you remember — what’s distinguishing? What’s memorable? What’s rich and humanly satisfying? Money, saved? Or more money spent, on more stuff — had at a “savings”? I’m wondering, dear reader — have you ever even been there?

Scary. That grouping of marks is intriguing as a kind of warning sign — like the biocide symbols, hazard markings or “attention: danger: verboten” kind of signing archetypes.

My take, what’s yours — ? Tim Girvin | girvin@girvin.com | http://blog.girvin.com/