Wal-Mart launched an ad campaign to contradict accusations of discrimination in hiring and promotions and putting its smaller competitors out of business.
In a full-page ad published in more than 100 newspapers across the country, Wal-Mart Chief Executive Officer H. Lee Scott said it was time for the public to hear the “unfiltered truth” about Wal-Mart, and time for the company to stand up on behalf of a workforce that includes 1.2 million Americans.
“There are a lot of ‘urban legends’ going around these days about Wal-Mart, but facts are facts,” says Scott. “Wal-Mart is good for consumers, good for communities and good for the U.S. economy.”
In what Scott acknowledged was an “unusual approach” for Wal-Mart, the company placed ads in newspapers including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. The ad is a direct letter from Scott.
“For too long, others have had free rein to say things about our company that just aren’t true,” Scott continued. “Our associates are tired of it and we’ve decided it’s time to draw our own line in the sand.”
“We understand that, as one of the most visible corporations in the world, we will be a target for criticism. When it is valid, we try to learn from it and become a better company,” Scott said. “But we have made a commitment to our associates, customers and suppliers that when false allegations are made about Wal-Mart, we will actively correct the record. That’s what this day is all about.”
To compliment the ad campaign, Wal-Mart has created a non-commercial Web site, to show people facts about the company.
Murdok | Breaking eBusiness News
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