Walmart hits back at New York Times column

Walmart has found an ingenious way to respond to a newspaper column critical of the company.

Last week New York Times writer Timothy Egan blasted the company for its ‘poverty-wage structure’ and Walmart decided to take action.

But, instead of a mundane press release or letter to the editor, the company cleverly ‘sub-edited’ the column and posted it on their website - red ink and all.

It was the brilliant idea of Walmart’s vice president of communications, David Tovar, who not only challenged some of Egan’s arguments but also offered some grammar and spelling corrections.

Above the published column, Tovar writes a brief memo to Egan, sarcastically thanking him for his ‘first draft’.

“Tim – thanks for sharing your first draft. Below are a few thoughts to ensure something inaccurate doesn’t get published. Hope this helps. –WMT."

Walmart edited the article thoroughly, rebuking several of Egan’s claims against the company and directing them to links to further support the ‘real facts’.

The point of contention was Egan’s assertion that WalMart pays its 2.2 million staff ‘humiliating wages’.

“Walmart is a net drain on taxpayers, forcing employees into public assistance with its poverty-wage structure”, Egan wrote.

Tovar retorts in red ink on the side, “We are the largest taxpayer in America. Can we see your math?”

In response to the claim about public assistance made by Egan, Tovar provides a link to back up his counter-argument.

“We see more associates move off of public assistance as a result of their job at Walmart. Here is one story: http://bit.ly/im3llpoq"

Tovar not only makes several more challenges to Egan’s ‘facts’ but also drolly criticises the structure and quality of the column as a whole.

Halfway through the article, Tovar underlines the words ‘force thousands of employees’ and suggests this issue has already been flagged. “A bit repetitive. See above,” Tovar writes.

A few paragraphs down he urges Egan to be more diligent in his research. “Be specific. Fulltime associate wage is $12.91”.

Walmart ends its critique by going so far as to pitch a new angle for the column. In doing so, the reader is left with some positive PR spin from the company.

“Better idea for the piece. Could focus on bringing back US manufacturing (Walmart is buying $250 billion in US products over 10 years) and expanding education, training and workforce development."

Inside Richard Branson’s Moroccan retreat