JWT AnxietyIndex: Walmart shows Mexicans it’s engaged in local concerns

Mexicans are increasingly anxious about personal safety and more empathetic to crime victims. When a little girl, Paulette Gebara Farah, was reported missing last month, millions of Mexicans rallied around her cause (sadly, and confoundingly, nine days later she was found dead in her bedroom). Walmart responded by quickly joining the collective effort, proving that the global company could be an active member of its local community. The retailer put photos of the girl on every cash register and let sheets with her picture be affixed to the back of cereal boxes.

Walmart’s reaction was a significant way of showing Mexicans that it has a real interest in giving something back to the community, especially when confronted with an anxiety-inducing situation. They say “Desperate times require desperate measures,” and for companies or brands to show interest and actively engage on issues and events of concern to society can surely generate only good will.
JWT AnxietyIndex: Brand Answers for an Anxious World