Walmart's new blue-themed branding marks its most significant update in almost 20 years

Walmart has given its brand a refresh for the first time in nearly two decades, but blink, and you might miss it.

The updates include a slightly bolder font, a tweak to the iconic yellow spark, and a splash of richer blues and yellows.

It’s all very subtle — so subtle that most folks probably wouldn’t notice unless someone pointed it out.

So, what’s the point of a refresh this low-key? According to Walmart, it’s about balancing the old with the new.

The company wants to honour its heritage (hats off to founder Sam Walton’s trucker cap for inspiring the new colours) while keeping pace with its modern, digital-first direction.

Think of it as a quiet nod to tradition with a wink toward the future.

William White, Walmart’s Chief Marketing Officer, summed it up: “Our Walmart will always be their Walmart, and our brand will always be a testament to how we innovate and change alongside [customers].

“We’re more modern, more digital—we say that ‘we’re people led and tech powered,’” says William White, Walmart's CMO. “The adjustments we’re implementing reflect the evolution of our business and the services we provide to our customers.”

Fancy words, but the essence is simple — they’re tweaking things to keep up with the times.

It looks like Walmart’s trying to pull everything together with a more consistent brand, but their illustrations really miss the mark.

The flat cartoon scenes meant to welcome customers in-store don’t feel minimalist—they just look cheap and uninspired. Honestly, they come off like generic, AI-generated clipart you’d expect on a bargain-bin park district flyer.

The rollout started late last year, with the updated look hitting stores, the app, and the website this January.

Over time, all locations will get the refreshed branding, but don’t expect a major overhaul. It’s more evolution than revolution.

So, does this redesign actually matter? For Walmart, it’s about showing customers (especially those with deeper pockets) that it’s evolving.

The brand’s been expanding into premium products and upgrading its stores, so this refresh is just another part of the bigger picture.