Walmart's festive campaign scores big in Ad Awareness among Americans

In late October, Walmart launched its 'Find Your Thing for the Holidays' advertising campaign, complemented by Black Friday commercials that featured cast members from the 2004 classic film ‘Mean Girls,’ including Lindsay Lohan and Lacey Chabert. Data from YouGov BrandIndex indicates that these campaigns have significantly boosted Walmart's Ad Awareness scores.

Ad Awareness measures whether individuals have seen a brand's advertisement in the prior two weeks. In the US, these scores witnessed an approximate three-point rise - from 42.6% on October 22 to 45.5% on November 21. The impact of the campaign was particularly notable in certain demographic groups. For Americans aged 50 and above, Ad Awareness scores increased by 4.6 points, moving from 42.5% on the campaign's launch day to 47.1% by November 21. This rise indicates the campaign's strong appeal to this demographic, which is often a crucial segment for holiday shopping.

Furthermore, American parents, another key demographic for the retail sector during the holidays, demonstrated a more significant increase. Ad Awareness scores among this group surged by 5.6 points, from 42.8% on October 22 to 48.4% on November 21. This increase underscores the campaign's success in connecting with families, resonating with the emotions and experiences central to the festive season.

The substantial increases in Ad Awareness scores among older Americans and parents reflect the campaign's strategic alignment with the needs and sentiments of these key consumer segments. As a result, Walmart has strengthened its position in the competitive holiday retail market, demonstrating the power of targeted advertising in influencing consumer perceptions and behaviors.

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YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands every day. A brand’s Ad Awareness score is based on the question: “Which of the following consumer brands have you seen an advertisement for in the past two weeks?” Data from surveys of adults aged 18 years and above residing in the US from 21 October to 21 November 2023. Ad Awareness scores are based on a four-week moving average. The change in scores for each brand is calculated by taking the difference between the highest and lowest scoring days within the period. Learn more about BrandIndex.

Cover photo by Jennifer Gentner