Walmart last updated its brand identity during a time when the Great Recession was imminent, the iPhone had just been introduced, and a hyphen still separated the retailer's legal name. On January 13, the retail giant revealed its latest visual identity update, designed to reflect the increasing importance of digital and cross-channel capabilities in an industry transformed by technology over the last twenty years.

David Hartman, Walmart’s vice president of creative, explained that the changes are intended to align the brand's visual representation with its evolution since 2008. “What that means, in a more practical sense, is really establishing ourself as truly an omnichannel retailer versus just a brick-and-mortar retailer and being able to serve the customer no matter where or how they want to encounter the brand.”

The 2025 refresh features more vibrant shades of yellow and blue (specifically True Blue and Spark Yellow), a greater focus on the sunburst-like “spark” icon introduced in 2008, and a new wordmark reminiscent of one worn on a trucker hat by company founder Sam Walton, which also appeared on the cover of his book, “Made in America.” This homage to Walton was inspired by Hartman’s team at Walmart Creative Studio, which explored the corporate archives to find elements that link the brand's heritage to its current vision. The new typography, named Everyday Sans, is a custom design based on the Antique Olive font.

Hartman remarked, “There is a great, unique origin story about that typeface, its roots in our past and how we’re bringing it forward to represent the brand where it is today.” 

Walmart's spark logo remains largely unchanged but will assume a new role in branding, featuring greater separation from the Walmart name on various assets, including storefronts. This strategy aims to elevate the logo as an independent symbol that can enhance Walmart's brand equity, as noted by Hartman. Other retailers have successfully established recognizable visual identifiers for their brands, such as Target’s bullseye and the Amazon smile.

The rebranding effort involved collaboration with Jones Knowles Ritchie for the overall brand identity, while Landor contributed to specific store implementations. Core marketing and advertising services are managed by Publicis Groupe.

Digital-first transformation

Although Walmart's rebranding may not be as radical as previous changes, such as eliminating the hyphen and introducing the spark, it reflects a shift in priorities for a company historically associated with large superstores.

“It’s not a wholesale reinvention of the Walmart identity. It’s very much an evolution versus a revolution,” said Hartman.

Since the introduction of the Walmart+ membership service in 2020, aimed at competing with Amazon and addressing the growing trend of online shopping, Walmart has intensified its focus on digital initiatives. This shift has also facilitated the company's expansion into new areas, including advertising sales.

In the third quarter of fiscal year 2025, Walmart's e-commerce sales in the U.S. surged by 22%, continuing a trend that has impressed investors. While the adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” often applies to brand marketing, Walmart identified areas for modernization and dedicated over a year to determining the necessary changes.

In a press release, Walmart U.S. CMO William White articulated the ambition to become an “inspirational, digital retailer,” a sentiment that resonated throughout the refresh announcement.

“The updated brand identity will help Walmart build credibility and connection, become known for its convenient digital-first services and be seen as a more modern, culturally dynamic brand,” states a press release. 

Walmart is enhancing its physical store environments by incorporating vibrant, full-color illustrated murals to enrich storytelling and assist customers in navigating various departments. This marks a departure from the previous reliance on icons and line drawings. These colorful elements have been tested at Walmart’s experimental Store 4108 in Springdale, Arkansas, since October and are set to be implemented more broadly in the coming months.

Walmart's iconic spark symbol gets a modern update with organic curves and a deeper blue background in 2025 rebrand.

“We’ve heard from customers who are shopping in that [4108] store and the store associates that it’s really helped improve the overall customer experience,” said Hartman. “Customers describe it as feeling more warm and more inviting when they enter the store.”

This shift towards more elaborate and colorful visuals reflects a broader trend in the industry, moving away from the minimalistic branding that characterized much of the 2010s. For instance, Pepsi's 2023 rebranding features bold electric blues and deeper blacks, along with a new wordmark and decorative packaging, contrasting sharply with its previous emphasis on simplicity.

Additionally, Walmart aims to create a more consistent and user-friendly experience across its various platforms, including its app and Walmart.com, where the refresh will initially be implemented. A new modular grid system will showcase product images, photography, and headlines, among other enhancements to what Hartman refers to as Walmart’s “brand operating system.”

“When [consumers] encounter the brand on the app, what they see from a product expression and a brand identity looks very similar or close to the same as what they see in our marketing and what they see in our store experience,” said Hartman of the refresh. “When you think about digital and omnichannel, we want to make those visual connections as tight as we possibly can so it feels like a seamless experience to the customer.”

The updated branding will play a role in Walmart's Q1 marketing initiatives and activities, according to Hartman, although specific details were not disclosed.

“We’re going to be very strategic about what assets get transferred and when,” added Hartman. “It’s not going to be an overnight change. It’ll definitely be something that happens over time.”