Walmart store
Walmart relaunches its brand No Boundaries in an effort to appeal to Gen Z. There is an effort to have a fashion look to compete with Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle and whatever The Gap might be unveiling. No Boundaries is a label that Walmart has had for 30 years and drives $2 billion in sales.
The concept of branding is a confusing topic. I will try to define what brands are today. Brands are essentially built by consumers by their perception that everything a brand does fulfills the consumer’s expectation. No Boundaries, while it was well accepted, failed to fully satisfy a need for current fashions. One can point to the success of the Tiffany Blue Box or the success of Macy’s I.N.C brand as evidence of long survivors.
Now, New Boundaries is being relaunched. New Boundaries will be style merchandise that younger customers will wear. It is said to be a more cohesive assortment, better-connected styling and a new marketing push just in time for the back-to-school season. 80% of the items will be priced under $15. That is certainly an attractive price pint in these economically stressed times.
Walmart has assembled an expert design team to reintroduce a cohesive brand that speaks directly to the Gen Z customer.
“Refreshing our private brand portfolio is critical to our fashion strategy as we evolve our assortment to resonate not only with our core costumers, but the next generation of shoppers”, said Jackson Brown, SVP of Walmart U.S. Fashion brands. “There is a huge opportunity for Walmart to reach a Gen Z customer with a brand that has both incredible style and unbelievable prices. We have 145 million customers shopping us in the stores and on line each week, and the No Boundaries brand is designed and marketed with intention to reach the young adult audience by focusing on fit, quality, style and fabric that resonates with them.”
The brand will be relaunched in Walmart stores on July 16, 2024.
POSTSCRIPT: Congratulations to Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart, and John Furner, CEO of Walmart U.S. stores, for changing the look of the assortment, developing a brand that has appeal for young people at prices that will resonate with them. The prices are carefully chosen to be attractive to young people, and it promises to be a successful relaunch.
I have been writing a series of articles about Walmart to highlight the changes in the company, and the new “know how” its leadership brings to the stores. There is news on associates care, technology and merchandise. Walmart is getting younger, more sophisticated and undoubtedly - busier. Congratulations.
