#AlexFromTarget: Marketing Scheme Or Plain Ol’ Meme?

Alex Christopher LaBeouf went from unsuspecting Target cashier to Internet celebrity in mere hours over the Halloween weekend. One sneaky picture of LaBeouf doing what Target employees do is all it took to launch one of this year's most beguiling memes. That innocent tweeted photo, however, isn't all that innocent.

A start-up geared towards connecting fans with their respective fandoms called Breakr claims to be behind the viral sensation. In a post shared on Breakr's LinkedIn page, founder and CEO Dil-Domine Jacobe Leonares explains how #AlexFromTarget was one big marketing ploy: "We wanted to see how powerful the fangirl demographic was by taking [an] unknown good-looking kid and Target employee from Texas to overnight viral internet sensation."

Things get a little murky, though, when the boy in question and @Auscalum, the original tweeter, both deny ever being involved with Breakr. "My family and I have never heard of this company," Alex tweeted. "I didn't know the pic was taken or tweeted until my store manager showed me." @Auscalum claims she's never heard of it. Leonares confirms the two were never Breakr employees.

There's no proof that Breakr was ever involved in the potential stunt. Leonarnes told Mashable over e-mail that the original tweets between it and @Auscalum have been deleted. Target has also denied any involvement.

Whether these allegations are true or not isn't stopping Alex's 15 minutes from happening. He's been on Ellen, for Pete's sake! And, even if this does turn out to be one big hoax we've collectively fallen for, it's comforting to know that Alex will be there to scan our items when no one else is around. Ever thine. Ever mine. Ever ours. (Mashable)