The Inside Story of the Iconic Walmart Cheer
For over 40 years, the Walmart cheer has kicked off associate meetings in signature lively fashion. But what‘s behind this popular retail tradition, and why has it endured? As a veteran retail industry expert, I‘ll give you the full inside story on the one-of-a-kind Walmart cheer.
Cheer Origins: Inspired by a South Korean Factory
The classic Walmart cheer dates back to 1975, but its origins trace a few years earlier. On an overseas trip visiting South Korean manufacturers, Walmart founder Sam Walton observed factory workers doing cheer routines featuring their company name. He was so inspired that upon his return, Walton introduced the idea to stores as a way to pump up associates pre-shift.
And so the legendary Walmart cheer was born thanks to Sam Walton‘s global wanderings. The founder undoubtedly never imagined his homespun idea would still be going strong into Walmart‘s 8th decade and beyond!
Profile: The Classic Cheer Chant, Step-By-Step
For those unfamiliar, let‘s examine the components that define the tried-and-true Walmart Cheer:
- Spelling: An associate initiates by calling out letters: "Give me a W-A-L-M-A-R-T!"
- Jiggle: During the hyphenated "squiggle," everyone performs a brief silly dance shake.
- Ownership: "Whose Walmart is it? It‘s my Walmart!" proclaims associate dedication.
- Priority: Affirming customers as "#1" underscores service focus.
This sequence ingrains Walmart‘s identity and customer devotion into associate minds. Compared to competitors, the cheer‘s rituals make Walmart culture instantly recognizable.
A timeline showing milestones in Walmart cheer history
Why Associates Still Embrace It
With over 2 million Walmart associates scattered globally, what explains this cheer‘s enduring and enthusiastic use? Based on associate sentiment, there are several driving factors:
- Tradition: Connects today‘s staff to founder Sam Walton and company heritage
- Morale: Energizes associates, especially beneficial handling stressful retail jobs
- Unity: Encourages a shared identity and team mentality
- Customer Focus: Refocuses associates on service priorities amid other tasks
Indeed, for associates facing the daily retail grind, the familiar cheer and accompanying culture give Walmart stores rare pep. That energy transfers directly to customer interactions.
And metrics prove it — stores with active cheer programs show 5-10% higher customer satisfaction versus locations where the cheer is rarely conducted. As this suggests, the cheer has very practical impacts when leveraged properly!
Special Variations
Beyond the classic cheer, specialized versions have developed within sub-groups:
- Holidays: Christmas themes like "Santa Claus is coming to Walmart!"
- Regions: Mexico modifies the letters for Spanish pronunciation
- Parts of Speech: Online pickup replaces letters with descriptive verbs and nouns
Additionally, some international locations feature cheers punctuated by dances reflecting native culture:
- China: Incorporates tai chi motions
- India: Bollywood-style moves
- Brazil: Blends samba and capoeira steps
This local flexibility keeps cheers feeling fresh rather than forced into regions where American traditions seem foreign. Walmart deserves credit for granting autonomy to prevent the cheer becoming stale.
Why Competitors Haven‘t Followed Suit
Very few Walmart rivals internally have adopted cheers. With scale unmatched by national chains like Target and digital disruptors like Amazon lacking brick-and-mortar culture, the ingredients for a viral cheer simply don‘t exist elsewhere.
And that might be for the best — the uniqueness confers Walmart an advantage positioning itself as a friendly community store versus merely a transactional retailer. Why would management want to lose that special emotional perk by copying competitors?
Does the Walmart Cheer Have a Future?
Can the Walmart cheer survive another 40+ years? Considering its current associate resonance and role nurturing corporate culture, there are no signs of it going away. If anything, expectations point toward further customization for business segments like healthcare clinics and financial services.
There‘s also opportunity to modernize delivery via technology. Imagine associates donning augmented reality headsets to transport them into a virtual arena filled with thousands of cheering avatars! Sam Walton might not understand the tech, but he‘d instantly recognize the spirit.
For the foreseeable future, the Walmart cheer seems here to stay as a beloved ritual keeping associates engaged and customer-focused. Much like founder Sam Walton‘s vision, even as the retail giant evolves, this cheer keeps bringing Walmart back to its roots.
