According to a story by Daniel Massey at crainsnewyork.com, New Yorkers woke up Monday morning to a radio advertisement by Walmart blasting “special interest” groups for pressuring the City Council to derail its efforts to open shop in the city.
“Turn down new jobs and stop people from paying lower prices to satisfy some special interest?” the 60-second spot asks. “That's everything people hate about politics.”
That ad, and a second one that zeroes in more on the retailers' low prices, will run for a week on 14 city radio stations, including WFAN, WCBS and WINS. A print ad that trumpets the results of a recent Walmart-sponsored poll showing 71% of New Yorkers favor the retailer's entry into the city will run in 30 community newspapers, plus the Daily News and New York Post.
Walmart also said it will start sending direct mail to residents of 10 City Council districts, including that of Councilman Charles Barron, an outspoken opponent who represents the East New York neighborhood where Walmart is considering space. All of the mail will go to voters in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn, which fits in with Walmart's stated strategy to focus on opening in areas where unemployment is high and fresh food options are low. “Some New Yorkers have plenty of options when it comes to shopping,” the mailer reads. “We think you should too!”
All of the ads direct New Yorkers to WalmartNYC.com, a website launched Monday that seeks to build a community of supporters. The site includes various facts and figures about Walmart, a petition and select media coverage of the retailer. The site is patterned after one the retailer built in Chicago, where it engaged in an extensive battle for permission to open a second store. Potential supporters can also call a hotline to register their backing.
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