Walmart is currently carrying out a brand refresh. As the company explains, the updated look is intended to better reflect what Walmart represents today. The facelift was executed by the prominent design agency Jones Knowles Ritchie, which aimed to highlight the retailer’s unique qualities appreciated by its customers.
Founded in 1962 by Sam Walton, Walmart boasts a rich history and extensive business experience. As the world’s largest retail company, Walmart operates more than 10,000 stores across 19 countries, offering a wide range of goods—from groceries to electronics. With a workforce of over two million employees, it is also the world’s largest employer.
Evolving with the Times
As part of its business evolution, Walmart’s image has been adjusted to reflect the retailer’s current offerings while emphasizing its unique role as a “one-stop shopping destination,” according to an official press release.
This rebranding includes updated versions of all Walmart’s visual identity assets, such as the logo (both the icon and wordmark), brand color palette, typography, iconography, and illustration style. Walmart’s Senior Vice President William White explains that the fresh design is rooted in Sam Walton’s legacy while showcasing the brand’s readiness to adapt to the demands of the present day. Walmart is evolving alongside its customers, visually demonstrating its commitment to innovation.
The Logo’s Transformation: Honoring the Spark
The brand’s previous significant update occurred in 2008, when Walmart introduced the Spark, a six-pointed figure accompanying the Walmart wordmark, replacing a design where the wordmark was split by a five-pointed star. In the current redesign, both elements of the logo have been revised.
Describing the key changes, JKR stated that the Spark “exudes the energy” of the brand while remaining a guiding star for customers, symbolizing the Walmart experience. In its new iteration, the Spark will officially serve as the primary logo. By doing this, the company appears to aim for the Spark to become as recognizable a symbol as, for example, Nike’s Swoosh.
More specifically, the petals of the Spark now feature rounder, smoother inner and outer ends, giving the symbol a warmer and softer appearance. With slightly larger segments, the figure becomes better suited to stand alone as a recognizable emblem.
A New Typeface: Everyday Sans
The Walmart wordmark continues to feature a mixed typeface. However, the typography now uses Everyday Sans, the brand’s new corporate font, replacing Bogle by Christoph Koebrin and Hannes von Döhren. The design was partly inspired by a classic photograph of Sam Walton wearing a trucker hat with “Wal-Mart” on it.
The extended Everyday Sans font family, developed by Christian Schwartz, includes five typefaces that will be applied to various applications depending on the context. The new Walmart wordmark looks more solid due to bolder letters with straighter lines—noticeably in the “W”—and a deeper blue color. At some points, the aesthetic evokes designs from the ’80s and ’90s, bringing back elements from 20–40 years ago.
Updated Colors: A Richer Palette
The color palette has also been reimagined. Walmart Blue, the primary color, has been deepened into a shade called True Blue. It is now complemented by the adjusted Bentonville Blue (previously Blue Ink), a darker secondary color. Meanwhile, the accent Spark Yellow remains unchanged.
A Bold Identity for the Future
All the vibrant elements of Walmart’s new identity, including the Spark, wordmark, and color palette, are embodied in various branded materials, visuals, and merchandise. These updates not only look fantastic but also effectively convey the spirit of Walmart—a place where everyone can find something they love.
