I do my grocery shopping a couple times a month; typically that means a trip to the local Walmart.  Recently, with the economic downturn and the mass layoffs and shutdowns of businesses and local lumber mills, many are really feeling the pinch.  My family is no exception.  So, consequently I have been doing more generic brand buying when I can. I’ve been noticing, over the last few shopping excursions, that the Great Value items, one of Walmart’s private labels, were slowly being rotated to a new package design.  But, even if I hadn’t been looking for the better prices, the change in packaging is very eye catching, for good or bad.

When one walks into a large store, like Walmart, color dominates everything; blue, red, green, yellow.  Wal-Mart has created a stand-out packaging without color and has accomplished some of the basic goals of good branding.  The use of white space on the Great Value items draws the eye amongst aisles and shelves of flashy hues.  They have managed to create a completely different look from their competitors in their simplistic style.  They are also supporting the Great Value brand concept of a top end value brand; less focus on the marketing, more on the product.

After looking into the new branding, I realized, that as usual we are a bit behind up here in Northern Maine.  A press release was posted on the Wal-Mart website dated March 16, 2009.  The complete article can be seen here. 

Walmart redesigned Great Value packaging graphics to create a consistent, recognizable look throughout the store, making it easier for customers to find their favorite products. The new Great Value packaging offers easy-to-read nutrition labels and more appetizing food photography. Walmart also reduced packaging when possible as part of the company’s sustainability goals.

I do not work for Wal-Mart or suggest that Great Value is the best brand around or even particularly like the redesign.  These are simply observations that struck me while shopping this week.