WAL-MART TARGETING BETTER IDEA FOR HOME.

HFN: The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network, May, 2005 by Thau, Barbara

Byline: Barbara Thau

BENTONVILLE, Ark.-John Fleming is just a week into his new job as executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Wal-Mart.

But already he knows he wants to breathe new life into the brand and deliver the message that the low-price leader has become a destination for high-quality, trend-right merchandise -- including stylish home goods.

"We're not abandoning our core business, but layering up, and in some cases communicating better [that we have] 400-thread-count sheets," he told HFN in an exclusive interview last week.

While Fleming has yet to formulate a marketing strategy for the world's biggest company, look out for merchandising to play more of a starring role in Wal-Mart's advertising story....