Helping Walmart to redefine the shopping mall for the China market

Walmart Asia Realty – a subsidiary of the world's largest retailer – asked Base Creative to create a comprehensive research, strategy, naming, branding and implementation programme for its new shopping mall brand in China.

Unlike many malls in China which focus on high-end or large space shopping, The Mall is designed as a community centre intended to serve the daily needs of local families – not just for shopping, but for dining and a range of services as well as a space for meeting, entertainment, education, kids’ fun and just “hanging out”. Through extensive research, consumer interviews and benchmarking, Base Creative worked closely with Walmart’s management team to redefine what a mall can be in contemporary China. Based on the resulting insights, Base Creative initiated a top-down brand-building programme – from strategic planning and identity formation down to hoarding design and marketing collaterals.

Focusing on the largest customer group – the family – we created an archetypal "happy family" personality – with the child at its heart – and overarching identity system that would inform all brand communications, from online banners to print advertisements to the architectural façade. The use of the colour green symbolizes Walmart’s continual efforts to achieve environmental sustainability.

Inspired by the rising need for public social spaces, Base Creative worked with Walmart to translate the vision of the brand into a welcoming retail atmosphere – clean, colourful, eye-catching and not intimidatingly grandiose. This includes a spacious parking area with ample signposts, an efficient floor plan supported by easy navigation and well-planned signage, and scattered seating areas where tired shoppers can rest their feet.