Target Enlists Pop-Rockers 5 Seconds Of Summer For Branded Video

With their boyish good looks and catchy pop-rock anthems, 5 Seconds Of Summer (5SOS) have attracted more than 1.2 million subscribers to their YouTube channel. This gives the Australian band a direct link to the teenage demographic, and a brand deal is making use of that connection. In a recent video on their channel, 5SOS dressed up as Target employees in an attempt to sell their new album to middle-aged shoppers.

The video sees the Aussie foursome don red shirts and name tags as part of their attempt to go undercover. They then grab copies of their eponymous debut album (which just arrived in the US after debuting Down Under on June 27th) and attempt to push them onto unsuspecting customers. The video takes on a similar vibe to Greg Benson‘s series of shopping pranks.

This is an important time of the year for Target. With back-to-school and college move-in days looming, the major retailer is hoping to draw teens toward its stores, and it has smartly identified YouTube as a cost-effective way to reach that audience. It previously teamed up with YouTubers like Todrick Hall for Best Year Ever, where it advertised the dorm room decorations it has in its stores.

The 5SOS video doesn’t feature any products aside from the band’s CD, but it still targets a large number of school-bound teens. In just a three days, the video has already racked up more than 700,000 views. There’s also some activity on a related hashtag, so Target must be pleased with the social media engagement provided by its young Aussie spokesmen.