Walmart just launched its groovy back-to-school campaign with the help of Publicis Groupe, featuring a five-minute music video titled "School Style Decoded" that aims to give parents a "runway show master class."
Starring young TikTok fashion influencer Taylen Biggs and TikTok comedian Kat Stickler, the hyperactive ad is a nonstop dance party that bombards viewers with all of the latest Gen Alpha fashion, slang, and trends.
Walmart is continuing a trend found in many of its recent campaigns, offering viewers the ability to shop online for the 250 products featured in the ad.
A dedicated "School Style Decoded" webpage features everything a student could need for the school year, including tablets, laptops, lunchboxes, water bottles, hygiene products, and an immense selection of stationery.
The feature also sells backpacks, shirts, dresses, jeans, and shoes.
Audiences seeing the ad on YouTube can simply click on a link to get redirected to the site, while those on Roku can utilize the text-to-shop feature when presented with an ad.
According to Walmart CMO William White, this feature was introduced to shorten the buying process and make it easy for parents to understand Gen Alpha trends.
White also stated that 60% of Americans are now likely to buy products through social media, which explains the retailer's renewed focus on social media campaigns.
Couple this insight with Sickler's previous success as a Walmart Partner for its "Moms Answer Moms" initiative on TikTok, and it's a golden opportunity to increase conversion rates and gain new consumers.
@katstickler Replying to @SincerelyJoc Tickling is serious business. #WalmartPartner ♬ original sound - Kat
Sickler's TikTok video posted last April has since garnered 9.4 million views and nearly 50,000 likes.
This not only proves the mileage that effective influencer marketing has, especially when it comes to long-term collaborations, but also why it's taking over traditional advertising.
A Runway Show for Parents
The five-minute music video begins in a school bus, where Biggs gives bus driver Stickler a lesson in Gen Alpha lingo, teaching her phrases like "you ate," "maximum aura points," "cringe," and "Ohio."
Biggs declares that school is in session as students flood into the halls and begin to dance.
Several different groups of students do a wide variety of routines, keeping the energy high throughout.
Dressed in multi-colored clothes and funky shoes, the kids express themselves with their preppy and stylish outfits.
The full ad, along with 15-second and 30-second variations, will run across Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
As the summer draws to a close, audiences can expect to see more back-to-school campaigns from brands.
GapKids recently debuted its ad for the season, which featured a group of dancing kids alongside stars from the cult film Napoleon Dynamite.
Likewise, Amazon launched its back-to-school spot with comedian Michelle Buteau, continuing its "Spend Less on Your Kids" campaign from the previous years.
These three campaigns all show that humor is still one of the best ways to grab consumers' attention no matter the season.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
