Walmart Tries to Engage About Olympian Wolfdog

Watching a wolfdog run with the Olympic skiers is great fun, and Walmart got into the action by commenting on Instagram, but the replies were not favorable.

The Walmart account manager tried to engage, which is what we teach students in marketing communications and as examples of positive messages. The comment—”I love an underdog story”—is funny enough, but the responses point to larger issues, particularly about wages.

Students might discuss the risk Walmart took and whether it was worth it. The situation has nothing to do with Walmart, which makes it both low stakes and potentially irrelevant. The company inserted itself into a cultural moment—a time for people to rally around.

But users might perceive all company comments as marketing opportunities. Also, the post starts with “I,” an attempt to personalize (anthropomorphize?) the brand. Sure, the poster is a human (we think), but the company name and logo overshadow the comment. The joke doesn’t feel authentic because it’s not. Students also might consider the challenge of creating “one, authentic brand voice” for a company like Walmart.

On another note, sadly, some commenters asked whether the video was AI. It’s hard to know these days.