The largely grass-roots campaign, titled "Hope for the Holidays," is being coordinated by Wake Up Wal Mart.com, which is funded by the United Food and Commercial Workers union. The campaign will consist of 30-second television spots, print and online ads, and video postings in places such as You Tube, progressive political sites and elsewhere to reach a wider audience, to influence consumers and to mobilize young people.
Sarah Clark, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said she couldn't respond directly to Wake Up Wal Mart's campaign without knowing any of its specifics. "We believe we are spending too much time responding to critics, and we all should be focused on continuing to introduce programs that help working families," Ms. Clark said, noting that the company helps working families by creating jobs and offering certain generic drugs for as little as $4 per 30-day prescription.
The union-backed group hopes to gain momentum by harnessing the altered political climate following recent victories by Democrats who rallied behind worker issues. Sen. Barack Obama and and former vice-presidential candidate John Edwards are scheduled to speak on conference calls tonight with current and former Wal-Mart workers and activists to help announce the six-week campaign. In recent months, other prominent Democrats have been drawn to Wake Up Wal Mart's cause.
"Our hope is that by the end of these six weeks, millions of Americans will know the real record about Wal-Mart and that the company will end its antifamily business practices," said Chris Kofinis, spokesman for Wake Up Wal Mart. The group contends that the world's largest retailer should make health-care benefits more affordable for its 1.3 million U.S. employees, raise wages, end newly implemented salary caps and rescind a recent attendance policy.
Mr. Kofinis said that the TV and print ads would be coordinated with on-the-ground actions but declined to provide specifics. Last year, the group organized thousands of volunteers to pass out leaflets in front of stores, hold candlelight vigils and host film screenings of a movie critical of the company's practices. Mr. Kofinis said the goal of the campaign isn't to hurt the company's sales. "We don't want to destroy Wal-Mart," he said. "Our goal is to change them into a better employer."
Wake Up Wal Mart is spending more than $1 million on the campaign, more than it has on previous initiatives, according to Mr. Kofinis. The television spots were produced by Joe Trippi, of Trippi & Associates, former campaign manager for Howard Dean.
Wal-Mart has countered its critics with a more aggressive approach than the Bentonville, Ark., retailer has taken in the past. It hired the Edelman public-relations firm last year to handle much of its publicity and reaction to campaigns against its practices and policy. In recent months, Wal-Mart has also played down the ability of its critics to affect its public-opinion rating.
Kris Hudson contributed to this article.
