USA Today

NEW YORK - In a bid to boost fall and holiday sales, Wal-Mart has signed a string of new - and some seemingly unusual - deals.

The world's largest retailer just launched a major fall ad campaign in the fashion bible Vogue, signed a multiyear music deal with country crooner Garth Brooks that might include exclusive products and linked with pop music's Destiny's Child for a holiday promotion.

The ties with A-list brands and personalities come as Wal-Mart puts an increased emphasis on its clothing and music offerings. ''We've chosen to focus on those areas,'' says Chief Marketing Officer John Fleming, adding, ''We're looking to align with partners that are relevant to our customers.''

Marketing experts say that by tying in with popular, credible brand names, the retailer should be able to spruce up its image. ''Partnering with an icon like Vogue is smart, because they need to turn some heads if they want to turn that giant thing called the Wal-Mart brand image,'' says brand expert Allan Adamson.

That's what Wal-Mart plans to do. The spread in Vogue's fall fashion issue, which features real women pairing their own clothes with Wal-Mart apparel, begins an ad deal that is to run through 2007. The retailer also will run an ad campaign in the teen fashion book Elle Girl. To lure that demographic, Wal-Mart is promoting the theme ''Dare to Be You,'' encouraging young women to create unique looks in their back-to-school wardrobe and dorm-room décor. In the past, Wal-Mart mainly promoted apparel in store and in circulars, Fleming says. ''We're finding a lot of customers that haven't shopped the department before. We believe our assortment has improved in the last few years, and this is a way to get that message in the marketplace.'' He conceded that the Vogue deal is ''something different than people would expect with Wal-Mart.''