Walmart Employer Brand Positioning Strategy

1. December 8, 2011 Walmart Employer Brand Positioning Strategy

2. Overview • Methodology • Summary of findings • Employment experience realities • Market drivers • Market perceptions • Positioning strategy • Positioning essence • Positioning statement • Personality • Message emphasis content

3. Walmart would like to optimally position itself to attract candidates for management, assistant management, supply chain, corporate, and e-commerce positions. Specific objectives follow: Probe the strengths and weaknesses of the Walmart employment offer Identify which attributes are important to the target audience Understand perceptions of Walmart as an employer Understand perceptions of Sam’s Club as an employer Identify those distinct selling points that will enable the crafting of a compelling and believable message Overview 3

4. Focus group methodology • July – October, 2011 • Chicago, IL • 1 group, Walmart Retail Management (9) • 1 group, Sam’s Club Retail Management (8) • Dallas, TX • 1 group, Walmart Retail Management (4) • 1 group, Sam’s Club Retail Management (3) • Los Angeles, CA • 1 group, Walmart Retail Management (7) • 1 group, Sam’s Club Retail Management (6) • Philadelphia, PA • 1 group, Walmart Retail Management (2) • 1 group, Sam’s Club Retail Management (8) • National, various locations • 4 groups, Supply Chain/Logistics) (29) • National, various stores • 2 groups, college hires (13) • Employee focus groups (20 groups) • December, 2010 – February, 2011 • Bentonville • Merchandisers/Buyers (7) • IT (9) • Financial (11) • San Francisco • E-commerce (9) • May, 2011 • Bentonville, AR • 1 group, college/interns; Finance/Merchandising (6) • 1 group, college/interns; ISD, Sourcing Ops, Merchandising, QA (5) 4

5. Focus group methodology • August – September, 2011 • Chicago, IL • 1 group, Retail Management (6) • 1 group, Logistics and Transportation (10) • Dallas, TX • 1 group, Retail Management (7) • 1 group, Logistics and Transportation (7) • Los Angeles, CA • 1 group, Retail Management (8) • 1 group, Logistics and Transportation (5) • Philadelphia, PA • 1 group, Retail Management (6) • 1 group, Logistics and Transportation (4) • Market focus groups (15 groups) • December, 2010 – February, 2011 • Dallas, TX • Finance (10) • Chicago, IL • IT (11) • Jersey City, NJ • Merchandisers/Buyers (7) • San Jose, CA • E-commerce (11) • May, 2011 • Salt Lake City, UT • 1 group, undergraduates – Business, Finance (10) • Fayetteville, AR • 1 group, graduate students - Business, Finance, IT (10) • Austin, TX • 1 group undergraduates – Business, Finance (9) 5

6. employee focus groups • “People believe in what the company is doing…gets you back to work every day regardless of what yesterday was like.”

7. Summary: The employee experience – what’s positive 7

8. Summary: The employee experience – what’s positive (cont.) 8

9. Summary: The employee experience – what’s positive (cont.) 9

10. Employee views #1 retailer Stability Scope Development Open Mobility Supportive Learning Realities Teamwork Encouraged Idea sharing Accomplishment Community focus Autonomy Empowerment Application: Provides foundation for positioning the realities of the employment experience Close-knit Mission Rewarding Make a difference Meaningful Fulfillment Purpose Respect Family Shared values 10

11. external focus groups “I want to work for the best — someone who is cutting-edge and at the top in their field.”

12. Summary: Opportunity considerations 12

13. Summary: Opportunity considerations (cont.) 13

14. Employer brand associations Location Compensation Benefits Stability Work/Life balance Flexibility Variety Development Mobility Open Advancement Learning Market drivers Accomplishment Brand reputation Autonomy Valued Challenge Impact Application: Describes the universe of attributes under consideration by the target audience. Accepted Stimulating Meaningful Trusted Fulfilling Inspiring 14

15. Summary: Employer brand associations - Walmart 15

16. Summary: Employer brand associations – Walmart (cont.) 16

17. Summary: Employer brand associations – Sam’s Club 17

18. Employer brand associations Arkansas #1 retailer Limited to retail positions Resume enhancer Growth Market perceptions Lawsuits Application: Provides points of leverage and counterbalance 18

19. positioning strategy

20. Positioning themes Pragmatic Theme: A career with a future With Walmart’s extensive scope and success, I have an incredible range of opportunities within my grasp, now and in the future. Attribute Positioning Maps Market drivers Market perceptions Realities #1 retailer Stability #1 retailer Stability Advancement Growth Scope Mobility Resume enhancer Mobility Limited to retail positions 20

21. Positioning themes Aspirational Theme: Everyone has potential No matter what my role, my learning and development is supported and encouraged by everyone in the organization, resulting in the challenge and variety I thrive on. Attribute Positioning Maps Realities Market drivers Market perceptions Development Learning Discriminatory Learning Development Lawsuits Accomplishment Challenge Idea sharing Variety Supported Accomplishment Encouraged Impact Autonomy Stimulating 21

22. Positioning themes Relational theme: Beyond the bottom line When improving the quality of life for millions is the mission, it extends beyond our service to customers through our outreach to the community. Attribute Positioning Maps Realities Market drivers Market perceptions Inspiring Effect on small business Community focus Brand reputation Purpose Meaningful Meaningful Make a difference Fulfilling Mission 22

23. Positioning themes Emotional Theme: The biggest family in the world We share the same values, treating each other the way we would like to be treated. Attribute Positioning Maps Realities Market drivers Market perceptions Trusted Huge corporation Teamwork Close-knit Open Family Accepted Respect Valued Fulfillment Open Rewarding Shared values 23

24. Positioning strategy • Positioning essence • The positioning essence is the basic strategic concept - it is a distillation of the various trends that will maximize relevance and differentiation. • Positively energized • A career with a future • Everyone has potential • Beyond the bottom line • The biggest family in the world • The positioning essence is used to provide a compass point, or north star, for articulation of the employer brand through using marketing and advertising vehicles. • “Positively energized” not only addresses the tangible and intangible aspects of employment, but does so as a forward-thinking, mission-embracing imperative that elevates all dimensions of the Walmart experience. It draws a distinction, highlighting the opportunity to do well, and to do good. • With the positioning essence in place, the next step is to understand and embrace the positioning statement. 24

25. Positioning strategy • Positioning statement • The positioning statement is designed to serve as the strategic basis for the development and articulation of all employment marketing communications, both formal and informal. Neither the positioning statement, positioning essence, nor the positioning subsets are meant to represent the actual wording utilized in employment marketing communications. Rather they are designed to help inform the creative and messaging strategies and execution, providing a constant point of reference. • With Walmart’s extensive scope and success, I feel good about my future, knowing I have an incredible range of opportunities available to me. No matter what my role, my learning and development is supported and encouraged by all in the organization, resulting in the challenge and variety I thrive on. At Walmart, we share the same values, treating each other the way we would like to be treated, all while improving the quality of life for millions. I belong here. • Subset amplification • See Message Emphasis 25

26. University E-commerce Sam’s Club Educate Educate Educate Inspire Inspire Inspire Counter Counter Counter Growth Scope Rotation program (MBAs) Mission Technology Mobility Positioning strategy Message emphasis Supply Chain Educate Inspire Counter Size Autonomy Create an emotional connection Focus on information Alter misperceptions 26

27. Positioning strategy • Personality • These traits have been selected to complement the positioning, and therefore, deliver it in a manner that is more compelling. • Passionate – engaged and enthusiastic • Genuine – sincere, without pretense or contrivance • Welcoming – open, inviting, accepting 27

28. December 8, 2011 Walmart Employer Brand Positioning Strategy