Walmart Launches 'Who Knew' Holiday Campaign

Walmart is gearing up for the holidays. 

The company has launched its holiday marketing campaign “A Who Knew Carol,” inspired by the holiday classic “The Muppet Christmas Carol”.

“‘A Who Knew Carol’ brings Walmart’s holiday campaign to life in a way that's playful, memorable and full of unexpected surprises all season long,” says William White, Chief Marketing Officer of Walmart. 

“By pairing the enduring charm of The Muppets with Walton Goggins’s humour, we’re showing that Walmart can surprise customers with the brands, gifts, deals and convenience they need to make the season even more joyful.”

Walmart's holiday campaign

Walmart’s newest holiday campaign brings together an ensemble of Muppets – such as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Rizzo the Rat and Pepé the King Prawn – alongside actor Walton Goggins as Ebenezer Scrooge and Stephanie Beatriz as Scrooge’s niece. 

The hero film, Walmart has said, has been designed to bring a “fresh twist” to the holiday classic, showing that “even the biggest humbug” can enjoy Walmart’s range of gifts, highlighting the retailer’s range of brands and good value. 

“The holidays are full of familiar traditions and new discoveries. This year, we're bringing both to life at Walmart with A Who Knew Carol, featuring The Muppets, Walton Goggins and Stephanie Beatriz,” says William. 

“I'm excited to share how our team and creative partners are bringing a little holiday joy to life, inspiring customers to take another look at Walmart and discover something that makes them stop and say, ‘Who knew?’”

“A Who Knew Carol” kicks off the holiday campaign, and is set to be followed by a series of videos and social content over the course of the holiday season in order to showcase Walmart’s holiday collection. In particular, Walmart has said it looks to highlight its gift selection and high quality offerings. 

Increasing customer retention

Alongside the campaign, Walmart is looking to encourage shoppers to come to its stores over the Black Friday and holiday period through dedicated shopping events. 

The company will have three major shopping events, starting on November 12 and ending on December 2, which will bring additional savings on gifts, seasonal favourites and everyday essentials. 
Research conducted by the company has found that more than half (60%) of shoppers say that the price of gifts and holiday purchases impacts how they feel about the season, while 70% of respondents reported that lower prices would make holiday shopping easier. 

“This season, we're bringing customers and members incredible savings across three major shopping events, along with the brands they love, exciting new discoveries and easier ways to shop and even a few ‘who knew’ moments along the way,” says Julie Barber, Chief Merchandising Officer of Walmart US. 

“It's all about helping our customers save more, discover more and make more room for what matters.”

Who are Walmart’s key partners?

• OpenAI: Partnered to enable direct purchases via ChatGPT using Instant Checkout, as well as introducing ChatGPT Enterprise and AI literacy certifications. 
• Google: Used Google Gemini and the Universal Commerce Protocol to turn chat-based product search and discovery into a more streamlined shopping experience. 
• Microsoft: Microsoft and Walmart have a long term strategic cloud and digital transformation partnership. 
• Honeywell Technologies: Honeywell provides warehouse execution systems (WES), high-speed material handling conveyor networks and automated sorting hardware to Walmart.