Dive Brief:
-
Parisian marketing firm Publicis Groupe and Wal-Mart Tuesday announced a new strategic entity that is taking on the retailer's in-store and advertising creative works. That effort doesn’t include media, which Ad Age reports may be going to WPP-backed Haworth.
-
For now, Publicis Groupe will function as the primary agency of record. Walmart will also have access to resources outside of marketing, including capabilities to support corporate reputation and technology that builds relationships with customers, according to a press release.
-
The retailer has also been working with Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi agency on creative, and its previous decade-long creative relationship with Interpublic's Martin Agency will now shift entirely to Publicis Groupe, Ad Age reports.
Dive Insight:
As the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart Stores is also a massive advertising and marketing juggernaut, spending nearly $1 billion on measured media last year, according to Kantar Media. In the face of steep competition in retail, the company looks to be shoring up its efforts, with Wal-Mart Stores CEO Doug McMillon saying that it’s relationship with Publicis Groupe “will help us think and act differently, which will ultimately enable us to serve our customers even better.”
“Our ambition globally is to make every day easier for busy families, and having best-in-class marketing is critical to achieving that goal,” he said in a statement.
Led by Publicis Communications CEO Arthur Sadoun, Publicis Groupe will dedicate resources from its various agencies to find the right talent matched with each Wal-Mart project, the company said.
“This relationship is the direct result of Publicis’ new approach, ‘the Power of One,’ which is designed to deliver end-to end solutions for our clients,” Publicis Groupe CEO Maurice Lévy said in a statement. “Wal-Mart is already implementing innovative approaches to reach its customers. Our goal is to leverage all of Publicis’ assets – not just the resources of one agency – to help them in these efforts.”
At its 46th annual shareholders meeting in Fayetteville, AR, last month McMillon emphasized optimism, technology, and the future, saying, “We have the opportunity to reimagine retail again.” Beyond saving them dollars, which executives said remains a focus, McMillon also said he wants Wal-Mart to save consumers time. It’s likely that the company’s investments in technology and its idea of a “new era in retail” will help in that effort.
