FamilyMart enlists Lady Gaga to combat Japan labor shortages

FamilyMart, Japan’s second-largest convenience store chain, has launched a high-profile recruitment campaign featuring pop star Lady Gaga to combat severe domestic labor shortages. The campaign, part of the retailer’s 45th anniversary, aims to make part-time work appear more “appealing, fun and exciting” to potential recruits.

In the stylized, black-and-white commercial filmed on a replica set in Los Angeles, Gaga is depicted performing routine retail tasks such as mopping floors, stocking shelves, and serving food. The advertisement features her song “Killer” and concludes with her asking viewers in Japanese, “Want to work at FamilyMart?”

The initiative addresses a critical staffing crisis within the company; FamilyMart reports that approximately 30 percent of its more than 16,000 stores in Japan are currently facing acute shortages. The retailer is actively advertising over 10,000 part-time positions across its network to mitigate the impact of Japan’s ongoing demographic challenges.