“A huge miss”: Walmart labeled “diabolical” for showing up to a farmers’ market

Walmart faced online criticism this week after a marketing truck appeared outside a local farmers’ market. The setup looked like a standard promotional event, but many saw it as a direct intrusion into a space meant for local growers and small businesses.

Locals say Walmart missed the mark

“You need to fire your agency,” read the text overlay on his video. “Setting up a marketing activation across the street from the local farmers’ and small business market is diabolical.”

“These are the people your business model hurts the most. Not sure who approved this but as the owner of an event agency, I can tell you this wasn’t thought through.”

The post quickly gained traction. Connelly urged Walmart to reconsider how it handled such campaigns, warning that the brand’s agency had “not thought this through.” His video drew more than 36.1K views, sparking a debate about corporate marketing in community spaces.

In addition, Connelly tagged Walmart directly, writing, “What the hell? Sure, you need to market yourselves too but why would you set up an activation across the street from a beloved neighborhood farmers and makers market?”

He called the move a “huge miss” and added that the agency behind the activation should have stopped it before it launched. Many agreed, sharing concerns about small businesses struggling to compete with corporate giants.

@aaronwconnelly @Walmart what the hell? Sure, you need to market yourselves too but why would you set up an activation across the street from a beloved neighborhood farmers and makers market? This is a huge miss and your agency should have called this out. #marketing #sustainability ♬ Almost forgot that this was the whole point – Take my Hand Instrumental – AntonioVivald

Corporate promos clash with community spaces

Not everyone believed the decision was an oversight. One commenter insisted the placement was intentional, accusing Walmart of targeting market-goers with an aggressive strategy. Connelly pushed back, noting his background in event planning.

“I really don’t think so […] the locations would have been under the scope of the agency,” he wrote. “The agency will be judged on attendance numbers and I can tell you from being here right now, they’re LOW. The agency wouldn’t have shot themselves in the foot like that, they just didn’t think it through.”

Another TikToker suggested Walmart meant to lure shoppers with convenience. Connelly countered that argument as well. He stressed that the market’s neighborly atmosphere made Walmart’s booth look misplaced and even “hideous.” According to him, the marketing team had failed both strategically and visually.

Farmers’ markets often serve as symbols of sustainability and local resilience, while Walmart represents scale and affordability. Because of this stark contrast, many people online saw the truck as an insult rather than a simple brand activation.

Furthermore, Connelly’s posts emphasized how marketing decisions can backfire when they ignore context. He noted that low attendance alone proved the activation had missed its mark.

Aaron W. Connelly and Walmart did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via Instagram DM and contact form, respectively.