Walmart Aims For Cultural Relevance With Andy Cohen Campaign 01/10/2024 - MediaPost Communications

If you've already tumbled off the workout wagon or given up on more vegetables, Walmart+ has a new campaign for you. Partnering with Bravo's Andy Cohen, the company is rolling out "Save Your Resolutions," timed to Quitter's Day, the point in January when most people have abandoned their goals.

With ads created by Deutsch LA, the content zeros in on promises people make to themselves, with Cohen good-naturedly reminding them that Walmart+ can help them save money and stay on track.

"Resolutions are notoriously hard to keep," says David Hartman, Walmart's vice president of creative. "And what better person to be the face of this campaign for us than Andy Cohen, who is sort of the ambassador of New Year's?"

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The primary goal is to encourage more people to sign up for Walmart+, offering a $50 rebate on the $98 annual fee for those who join by the end of the month. And that makes sense, he says, since saving money is a popular resolution this year. "That makes this a great moment to talk to customers about saving time and money."

But a more significant objective is continuing the retailer's effort to gain cultural relevance.

Like Walmart's recent holiday campaign using the cast of "Mean Girls," "Save Your Resolutions" is part of the company's effort to "create marketing that puts the brand in the culture and the culture in the brand. We're looking for more ways to tap into the zeitgeist and deliver great deals," Hartman says.

He tells Marketing Daily that, in some ways, this effort mirrors previous campaigns, such as those the retailer has done for Mother's Day. "Those position Walmart+ as the mother of all savings and help us reach a specific audience within a certain timeframe."

This campaign with Cohen also does that, Hartman says, with the additional benefit of tapping the host's reality TV persona. Spots will air on broadcast, TikTok, Meta, and Pandora.

And due to Cohen's ultra-strong Bravo connections, "we will be the bar host for the 'Vanderpump Rules' premiere," Hartman says. "We want to leverage the community that he has on social media."

Walmart+ offers free shipping and grocery delivery. Members also get a free Paramount+ subscription, typically $6 a month, and a gas price break.

It competes with Amazon Prime, which now costs $139 a year, or $15 a month.