Wal-Mart Launches Asian-Language Campaign

On March 30, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. unveiled an advertising campaign geared toward the Asian Pacific American market. The campaign, a first for the Bentonville-based retailer, focuses on the personal stories and shopping experiences of Wal-Mart customers in their own native languages.

The television, print and radio ads were developed in Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and English with the assistance of IW Group, a leading Asian American advertising and marketing company based in Los Angeles.

The campaign began running on April 1 in select U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Houston, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose.

The television ads feature testimonials from Asian American families who shop at Wal-Mart. One commercial features three generations of a Chinese family who make shopping at Wal-Mart a group outing and an opportunity to spend time together. The Kwong family describes Wal-Mart products and services that appeal to the unique needs of their whole family.

“Wal-Mart is one of the first retailers in the country to develop television ads that take into account the varying perspectives of Asian American consumers from all ethnic backgrounds,” said Nita Song, president of IW Group. “It is also one of few retailers to recognize the importance of reaching out to this fast-growing segment of the U.S. population. Asian Americans in general are fiercely brand-loyal, have the highest median household income in the country, and have a combined purchasing power in excess of $360 billion.”