Week 8 – Advertising & Public Relations

Wal-Mart is an institution that many middle class families living in a suburban area already know about. But that’s not to say that Wal-Mart doesn’t advertise or promote their services and goods. Wal-Mart uses both institutional and product advertising. Institutional advertising is used when a company wants to build up their image; product advertising is used when the company wants to enhance the sales of a specific good or service. Wal-Mart is a discount store but is trying to change their image from targeting to just lower middle class to upper middle class. Wal-Mart advertises this by changing what they sell in their stores. One of Wal-Mart’s brands for junior clothes was No Boundaries, which has now changed; they now sell a line by Miley Cyrus made for Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart advertises their products online, through television ads, and through their own circular that comes out every week. Companies also advertise through a unique selling proposition which is the company’s slogan. Wal-Mart’s slogan is “Always Low Prices, Always”. Their slogan uses profit as an advertising appeal it lets consumers know that their products are at low prices and can save them money.