The last days of Wal-Mart’s smiley face Unless DraftFCB can find a way to make Wal-Mart’s smiley face seem tragically hip, there’s a good chance that the symbol of falling prices may vanish from the aisles of smiles. In an effort to elevate its image from its cinderblock foundations, Wal-Mart has already removed Smiley from its employees’ attire and from its redesigned Web site. Once Wal-Mart’s new ad agency begins working the account, Smiley may retire to the backroom, according to recent speculation. It would be a sad denouement for the symbol of cheapness, for which Wal-Mart fought a trademark battle earlier this year. Indeed, the issue of Smiley’s parentage is one of advertising’s longest-running disputes. The maniacal image has been traced back to 1953 in a New York Herald Tribune ad for the Leslie Caron movie Lili. More recently, the company SmileyWorld laid claim to the image, forcing the recent confrontation with the world’s largest retailer. SmileyWorld founder Nicholas Loufrani, of all things a Frenchman, claims his father invented the image in 1968.  Smiley was an attention getter, Loufrani told Forbes, “because French people are never happy.” —Posted by Richard Williamson

October 30, 2006 | Permalink

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Wait, I thought Forrest Gump invented the Smiley Face while on thatcross country jog?

Posted by: Corey King | Oct 30, 2006 12:42:49 PM

They let a great agency (GSD&M) go. They retire the only decent icon (Smiley) they've ever had. And now they've hired the advertising anti-Christ (Howard Draft). I'd say the Hillbilly Billionaires are on a roll. Hoepfully straight to red-ink hell.

Posted by: ad_acribe | Oct 30, 2006 12:45:22 PM

It's about time they change this!
I'm wondering what they come up with next...

Didier

Posted by: Banner Designer | Oct 30, 2006 1:20:07 PM

Actually, Bernstein Rein came up with the Smiley icon, as part of the "falling prices" concept. And they were Wal-Mart's first agency, and have created the new Holiday campaign. I've seen some of the spots, and they're pretty good.

My guess is that the "Star F#cking" new marketing group in Bentonville will be out after they fall flat with the DraftFCB group.

Posted by: J T | Nov 1, 2006 12:08:26 PM

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