• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, March 10, 2011

Walmart, in an effort to recapture lost sales, says it will launch a new ad campaign next month, reclaiming its role as the store with the lowest prices and broadest assortment.

The move comes an advertising slowdown of some months, Bill Simon, president/CEO, Walmart U.S., told investors at Bank of America Merrill Lynch Consumer Conference, which was also webcast. "We wanted to deliver on our 'Everyday Low Prices' and assortment promise, with an ad match guarantee."

And it has stepped up its small-store format rollout, testing three different formats, which he says "will be ready to roll out very quickly when we get in shape—hundreds at a time, and maybe more."