Walmart’s Dr. Seuss-themed holiday marketing is entering its second phase with some extra star power, as the Grinch himself takes centre stage ahead of Black Friday.
Building on its whimsical “WhoKnewVille” creative platform, the retailer has revealed that actor Walton Goggins will don the green fur for the campaign, which forms part of its broader “Who Knew?” brand strategy.
Walton Goggins Steps into the Grinch’s Shoes
Goggins, known for mischievous roles in series like The White Lotus, makes his on-screen debut as the Grinch in a new social video, after previously fronting ads that launched Walmart’s “Who Knew?” platform.
Casting him as the infamous holiday grump is both a strategic and cultural play: the move amplifies the existing equity of “Who Knew?” while responding directly to social media chatter from fans who saw him as a natural fit for the character.
Pop Culture, Nostalgia and a New Walmart Narrative
With “WhoKnewVille”, Walmart is doubling down on a strategy of wrapping its holiday advertising in pop culture touchstones to drive relevance and emotional connection.
The Dr. Seuss universe – and the Grinch in particular – gives the retailer a nostalgic storytelling framework through which to highlight practical services like its mobile app and Walmart+, the retailer’s membership programme and answer to Amazon Prime.
The company’s vice president of creative has described nostalgia as a powerful way to appeal to customers on an emotional level, while still delivering on hard business goals. Recognisable figures such as the Grinch, they noted, help Walmart open the door of attention in what is an increasingly crowded and noisy retail marketing period.
A Long-Form Holiday Caper in “WhoKnewVille”
At the heart of the new phase is a long-form brand film fronted by Goggins’ snarky interpretation of the Grinch. The spot is running as a YouTube masthead, supported by shorter cutdowns to extend its reach.
In the narrative, “WhoKnewVille” protagonist Mindy Lou Who scales Mt. Crumpit in search of a partner who can help raise awareness of Walmart’s Black Friday deals. The Grinch, initially sceptical, takes some persuading before he and Mindy – joined by loyal dog sidekick Max – descend on the town of WhoKnewVille to stealthily leave gifts beneath Christmas trees, all courtesy of Walmart.
True to the character’s chaotic charm, the journey is punctuated by slapstick mishaps, including a moment where the Grinch is caught by a child who mistakes him for Santa Claus, and another where he suffers the universal parenting hazard of stepping on a stray Lego piece.
Familiar Faces Return to WhoKnewVille
The latest creative continues the celebrity-studded thread of the wider platform. Stephanie Beatriz, another star from the first wave of “Who Knew?” ads, returns as the mayor of WhoKnewVille, reinforcing continuity in the brand world.
Earlier “WhoKnewVille” spots have already found traction with audiences – an introductory ad has passed 9 million YouTube views as of press time, signalling consumer appetite for richer, story-driven content.
According to Walmart’s creative leadership, the retailer has consistently found that long-form storytelling performs strongly, challenging the notion that attention spans cannot stretch beyond a six-second pre-roll.
From Times Square to the NFL: A 360° Grinch Takeover
Beyond film, the Grinch is set to loom large across Walmart’s media ecosystem this season.
A Times Square takeover will show the character’s fuzzy green hands reaching across multiple billboards, spotlighting Black Friday deals on products such as the Nintendo Switch 2, JBL speakers and Vizio TVs.
The Dr. Seuss icon will also “disrupt” upcoming NFL broadcasts, though Walmart has not yet disclosed the exact nature of those integrations.
The approach underlines the retailer’s ambition to make “WhoKnewVille” a fully fledged world that extends far beyond a single ad slot, meeting customers wherever they are consuming content.
Phased Promotions and a “Unified World” Strategy
Walmart’s holiday activity this year is structured around three distinct phases: an early Black Friday event that wrapped on 16 November; a Black Friday push running from 25–30 November; and a Cyber Monday wave beginning on 1 December.
While the idea of slowly introducing a campaign over time is not new to the retailer, this year’s effort is described internally as unusually cohesive.
Creative leaders say what feels different in 2025 is the tight, unified world that connects WhoKnewVille with the Grinch’s role, resulting in a more consistent narrative that thread across channels, timings and formats.
Agency Partners and Seussian Stewardship
“WhoKnewVille” is the product of a broad agency collaboration under the Publicis Groupe umbrella, with Fallon, Leo Burnett New York, The Community, Contender and Digitas all contributing to the work.
The campaign has also been developed in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, ensuring that the depiction of the Grinch and the wider Seuss world remains faithful to the beloved source material while giving Walmart room to play.
“Who Knew?”: Rewriting the Walmart Story
Zooming out, the WhoKnewVille push sits within Walmart’s larger “Who Knew?” platform, which is designed to reshape public perceptions of the big-box giant.
The aim is to move beyond the familiar image of Walmart as a purely value-driven retailer and highlight a broader proposition: a wide-ranging product assortment, the convenience of express delivery and the additional benefits offered by Walmart+.
The company has reported a strong early response to the platform, which even earned a mention on a recent earnings call.
The president and CEO of Walmart U.S. emphasised that the internal team is particularly excited about the messaging, noting that the goal is to help people see Walmart differently – and to make clear, especially to those who may not yet realise it, that the retailer’s offering spans its physical stores, first-party e-commerce business and marketplace.
Conclusion: A Green Grump with a Strategic Heart
Walmart’s Dr. Seuss-infused holiday campaign may be driven by a famously grouchy character, but at its core is a carefully calibrated brand strategy.
By casting Walton Goggins as the Grinch, building out the world of WhoKnewVille and weaving nostalgia, pop culture and long-form storytelling into a phased promotional calendar, the retailer is using festive whimsy to do serious work.
The Grinch’s antics across YouTube, Times Square and NFL broadcasts are not just about seasonal spectacle; they are vehicles to spotlight Black Friday deals, underline the convenience of the Walmart app and Walmart+, and reposition the brand in the minds of customers.
As the campaign’s second phase gathers momentum, Walmart is betting that a unified Seussian universe – and a mischievous green anti-hero – can help it win both hearts and holiday baskets this year.
