Key Takeaways:
- Walton Goggins leads Walmart's new "Who Knew?" campaign, reintroducing the retail giant as digital-first.
- Over 500 million products are now available on Walmart.com and app, including items from niche categories like saunas and dentures.
- Express Delivery within one hour and enhanced omnichannel integration mark a major shift toward speed and convenience.
Walmart is reintroducing itself to consumers, and it's doing so with actor Walton Goggins guiding the story.
The retailer’s new “Who Knew?” campaign is a response to years of digital investment that many shoppers still haven’t noticed.
With over 500 million products now available online and features like one-hour Express Delivery, the company is aiming to be seen as a modern retail platform.
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The campaign spans television, social media, online video, and billboards.
Goggins hilariously walks viewers through unexpected Walmart finds, showing that the product catalog has expanded far past groceries and household basics.
And all this while The Who's "Who Are You," famous as the theme song of the hit show "C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation," plays throughout.
Characters even sing along, reprising the lyrics to the chorus to "who knew?"
In a parallel Spanish-language campaign, actress Stephanie Beatriz appears at a chaotic gender reveal.
The commercial underlines the convenience of Walmart’s same-day delivery when last-minute shopping becomes necessary.
The use of high-profile personalities comes as other legacy retailers are doing similar brand refreshes.
JCPenney, for example, launched “Yes, JCPenney” in April to encourage shoppers to reconsider its offering.
It also worked with its newly appointed social and influencer agency VaynerMedia to target Gen Z on digital channels.
Repositioning Through Familiar Faces and Fast Service
This creative push supports Walmart's brand refresh, its first in 17 years, that began in January.
The retailer introduced a new logo, a brighter color palette, and a more consistent design language across its website, app, and physical locations.
The visual overhaul emphasized simplicity and warmth to create a more inviting and cohesive brand presence across platforms.
We’ve just introduced our refreshed brand identity that honors who we’ve always been, a company that helps people save money and live better, while evolving to reflect who we are today. pic.twitter.com/svQli91DwO
— Walmart Inc. (@WalmartInc) January 13, 2025
"Who Knew?" was sparked by research showing that while most Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart, many aren’t aware of how much the experience has changed.
It arrives as Walmart reports strong digital momentum, suggesting that its upgraded services are gaining traction, even if consumer perception hasn’t fully caught up.
In its most recent earnings report, Walmart shared that U.S. eCommerce grew 22% year-over-year.
Walmart Connect, its digital ad business, saw a 31% increase domestically.
Memberships for Walmart+, which include free shipping and fast delivery, also continue to support this growth.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said rising tariffs could lead to higher prices, pointing to economic pressures that may be behind the retailer’s current strategy:
"We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible.
But given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren't able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins."
His comment underscores the balance Walmart is trying to maintain as it modernizes while staying known for affordability.
Our Take: Why Now?
I’m asking the same question the campaign seems to suggest: how did Walmart grow this much without most people noticing?
The question isn’t whether Walmart has evolved — it has.
The challenge is making that visible to consumers who’ve mentally filed the brand under “essentials only.”
Walmart’s answer is smart: pair operational progress with personality.
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Casting Goggins adds cultural stickiness to a message that might otherwise get buried in logistics.
His unexpected charm gives it just enough personality to work.
For marketers, this is a case study in how brand perception often trails well behind business transformation.
The real test will now be whether longtime shoppers see Walmart as more than a place to pick up cereal and shampoo.
Meanwhile, eCommerce giants SHEIN and Temu recently raised their U.S. prices and slashed ad spending to cope with the tariffs.
