Sunday, March 30, 2008

What other symbol could Wal-Mart use?

A U.S. judge rejected Wal-Mart’s claim last week that a Conyers, Ga man violated their smiley-face trademark when he used it and their name to convey that Wal-Mart is trying to take over the world. He created T-shirts, beer steins, coffee mugs and other items using the smiley face and sported slogans such as “Wal-ocaust” and “Wal-Qaeda.”

It’s doubtful those negative products would crippleWal-Mart’s image and business and positive use of the happy face. After all,Wal-Mart has been in front of city councils all over the country fighting resident groups who believe they are bad for overall the American economy, blue-collar workers, and are just ugly buildings. There is already a PR and community relations battle.

So, the purpose of the smiley face along with the words “roll back” has been used to personify the store. Customers are expected to hear: “We’ve cut back the prices because we know you work hard and deserve a break. Keep your savings.”

And it looks like they’ll want to keep Mr. Smiley for a long time. Sorry, Mr. Conyers.

But let’s just say 15 years from now Wal-Mart reconsiders a new trademark for their brand, what should they go with?

Here are a few suggestions:
- What about a thumbs up? Good job. Everything’s OK. We’re looking out for you.
- Or the two fingers peace sign? It means peace and Richard Nixon used it.
- Or happy shining pennies?

What trademark would you suggest?

5 comments:

Amber said...

How about a little family of rabbits packing up their stuff in cardboard boxes?

Or maybe a before and after of a forest turned into empty clear-cut lot?

How about a big Earth with an X over it?

Anonymous said...

Sometimes our greatest fears materialize via a "smiley face" with the axe of Communism right behind saying, "Hold it, you there...just HOLD IT!"

Then you say, "What?"

Then they say, "Freeze!"

Anonymous said...

I have a special room,
Where all my books are kept,
But I'm rapidly running out of space,
Because I'm a compulsive biblioklept.

City Sights and Observations said...

Better be careful. Security will get ya! My Dad went in after work once with his paper-coating jeans and flannel and was almost padded down.

La La said...

A great symbol would be a picture of people standing in unemployment lines or how about a picture of a Wal-Mart employee holding the world in his hands.

Wal-Mart is great for getting a bargain but it is putting many small businesses out of business - an larger ones too. How can little mom and pop shops compete with such a giant when they cannot afford to sell their products at such discounted rates?

And, do they have to open a store on every block?

It's a business I know and it's every man, woman and child for themselves but soon you may find that the only store you can go to is Wal-Mart which would suck since Wal-Mart is big on censorship of music, movies, etc (but don't get me started on that . . .)