What happened to the smiley face? 

It's long gone from Wal-Mart marketing after years as the corporate symbol, and its disappearance is part of a much larger story. 

It's hard to believe, but for decades the world's largest retailer wasn't much of a marketer. It spent little on marketing, and its efforts, epitomized by the grinning circle, could be charitably called down-home and realistically described as amateurish. 

Change finally began four years ago when Stephen Quinn was made chief marketing officer of Wal-Mart U.S. He exiled the smiley face to the land of e-mail emoticons and developed a new theme -- "Save money. Live better" -- that became a statement of corporate purpose. 

Current TV commercials actually include some wit while hammering home the message.