This TV commercial from Walmart, which features various people singing about how "sometimes the little things can go a long way," is so close to good:
First things first: It's a very lovely video. I'm a cynic about both advertising and Walmart, and anything related to the two instinctively earns eye-rolls from me. If this weren't an ad and, say, a little creative project (sans the Walmart branding) posted by a filmmaker, it'd be adorable.
Sure, there are a couple of questionable creative decisions: The whispered "The way a single word / Can take your breath away" at 0:12 throws off the gentle momentum of the song.
The lines "The way an email / Can make you want to talk" at 0:21 sounds a little awkward -- tech terms just don't sound warm enough for sentimental songs. But those are relatively minor complaints; it's a charming song with a sweet message.
But that doesn't change the fact that it's an ad from Walmart. And that, in and of itself, ruins it.
That might sound a little unfair. After all, if this were a Target ad -- which, with a few swapped-out logos and a little less cutesiness, it could've been -- or some other retailer that it's "chic" to like, I'd probably be more willing to enjoy it without reservation.
But Walmart has acquired a reputation for being a stereotypical corporate behemoth that contemptuously treats its customers and employees like cattle; that exploitatively fosters mindless, affordable consumerism to those in the lower- and middle-classes; that ruins small town culture -- the sort of culture that embraces the "little things" the song in the ad so elegantly describes.
Any ad from Walmart, then, has to be evaluated in terms of the company trying to shed these perceptions. The ad becomes a lot less charming.
For instance, at 0:31, we see a Walmart employee (ostensibly a Walmart private fleet driver), sing to his young child, "It's not the money you spend / It's the time." True enough, but are they really going to make the Walmart employee sing that line?
If Walmart paid him a little bit more, maybe he could work less hours, and he'd be able to spend both money and time with his kid.
The main thrust of the ad is that, by shopping at Walmart, you'll save enough money that you'll be able to enjoy the little things in life. They say nothing about the shopping experience at Walmart or the quality of their products -- unlike Target, Walmart's ads are about attracting the price conscious consumer, then providing a reason to justify putting up with Walmart's foibles.
Or, to put it another way: "Shop at Walmart! We know it sucks putting up with long lines because only two out of, like, 30 checkout lanes are open. We know the aisles are crowded with customers who, like you, would really rather be elsewhere. And we know some of the products kind of awful. But think of all the things you'll be able to do once you leave Walmart! That's totally worth putting up with us."
And that, while surprisingly honest, doesn't really speak well of Walmart. When your main pitch to customers is, "Tolerate us -- it'll pay off later!," it's hard to get too excited about your store.
To be clear: It really is a lovely little ad. But it simply doesn't work because Walmart's problems can't be solved by advertising them away, which probably means Walmart really can't do "right" in an advertisement.
It's okay, though -- most people already have their minds made up, positively or negatively, about Walmart anyway, or, like me, their bank balances have made it up for them. Thus, neither the best ad nor the worst ad in the world will change anybody's minds. Nice try, though.
