Wal-Mart debuts ‘Earth Month’ campaign 

-- Home Textiles Today, 3/31/2008 2:06:00 PM

Bentonville, Ark. – Leviathan retailer Wal-Mart, key on reducing its environmental footprint, has launched its Earth Month merchandising and marketing campaign to run through April, starting with the first of a series of seven national TV ads today.

Earth Month ad activity will include print, radio and online ads plus a 16-page insert to run in various consumer magazines.

“Wal-Mart is uniquely positioned to make sustainable choices a real option for hundreds of millions of Americans -- not just the few who until now could afford to choose them," said Matt Kistler, svp of sustainability at Wal-Mart.

The $345 billion retailer will spotlight a range of products from alternate-fiber apparel to rubber mulch. Factors such as energy conservation, waste reduction, and organics will feature in the selection of more than 50 products in store and 500 products offered online at http://www.walmart.com/earth.

Stephen Quinn, chief marketing officer, lauded suppliers for having “stepped up to take environmental sustainability mainstream and educate shoppers in a big way about products that can help them save money, live better and help our planet.”

Wal-Mart will give away one million custom-made reusable shopping bags on Saturday, April 19 starting at 8:00 am local time. The company said it generally sells reusable shopping bags made from recycled materials for $1.