Walmart Realm WhoKnewVille holiday campaign serves up immersive, shoppable experience
This holiday season, Walmart is taking shoppers on an immersive, shoppable journey through the retailer’s Dr. Seuss inspired land of WhoKnewVille.
In a LinkedIn post, Justin Breton, Head of Brand Experiences & Partnerships at Walmart, said: “We didn’t just launch a holiday campaign this year… We built a world. The holidays don’t just happen in retail. They’re built months in advance.”
“Long before the first decorations go up, our teams are analysing last year’s performance, exploring emerging shopper behaviours, and brainstorming new ways to delight customers in one of the most competitive seasons of the year.”
He added: “This year, we went beyond traditional storytelling. Our holiday campaign came to life not only across TV, digital, and social, but also inside Walmart Realm, our immersive, shoppable destination where customers can explore WhoKnewVille and experience the joy of product discovery in an entirely new, innovative way.”
“In collaboration with the faces of WhoKnewVille, we helped bring our imaginative world of to life in Walmart Realm with their holiday gifting picks from Walmart. From Connor Wood’s Podcast Studio to La La’s Who-normous Closet, each space celebrates the spirit of the season and the gifts to make anyone smile.”
Breton concluded: “As holiday spending is expected to reach nearly $1.6 trillion this season, and digital engagement growing faster than ever, inviting customers into Walmart Realm isn’t just fun, it’s strategic. And with customers being intentional about where they spend this holiday, we’re capturing their attention from elsewhere.”
“Walmart Realm continues to bridge storytelling and commerce through immersive commerce, engaging the next generation of shoppers in ways that feel playful and distinctly Walmart. It’s one way we’re reimagining the online shopping experience and leaving customers saying: “Who knew Walmart sold that?”
2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS
Immersive experiences were a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.
We received a record number of entries and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.
For a full rundown of all of the shortlisted entries, click here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC in Central London on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
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