Ypulse Essentials: 'HSM' In China, Obama Promotes STEM, Social Innovation Generation
Editor’s Note: Ypulse will be taking the rest of the week off for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, but we’ll be back next week. Happy Thanksgiving!
Shanghai School Musical (Disney brings the hit HSM franchise to the East for the massive Chinese teen market. Plus to promote the Disney XD original Skyrunners Disney XD and Google Maps launch a site where tweens can watch UFOs land in front of their house. Seems pretty cool… but what will the boys think? Also MediaPost, reg. required, on the Clorox-branded ‘Possibility Shop’ and co-marketing to moms and tweens) (AP) (Multichannel)
- President Obama launches Education to Innovate (Cynopsis Kids gives an excellent rundown of the new White House campaign to encourage US kids to take an interest in the STEM curriculum [science, technology, engineering and math] and the various partners — Sesame Workshop, Discovery, The MacArthur Foundation, etc. — involved. Also more stats on teen girls and the rising rate of STDs point to a need for comprehensive sex ed — also, what about the guys? (Cynopsis Kids) (US News & World Report)
- Rock Brand (ReadWriteWeb on lessons to take away from rock group turned app developers Chester French. And speaking of musical artists ahead of the social media curve…Chamillionaire helps launch realtime video responses Vidly Express) (TechCrunch)
- What’s in a teen show? (activists and academics ask the FTC to redefine its definition of programming targeted to children and teens to collect more information on marketing by popular TV shows. Also a recent study finds kids who attend home-based day-care programs are spending more time with the “electronic babysitter” than previously thought) (Multichannel) (Washington Post)
- Tweeting the riot act (an Island Def Jam exec was arrested and charged for refusing to tweet a message on Twitter to calm unruly Justin Bieber fans. Plus The Frisky on a history of rowdy tweens from Beatlemania to Justin Bieber-induced riots & “New Moon” madness. Also tween-targeted brands approach Jedward the British twin “entertainers” who were voted off the talent show “X Factor”) (CNET) (Marketing)
-The ‘Social Innovation’ generation (Saul Garlick of ThinkImpact on the Gen Y approach to social change in developing countries. Also Oxfam Australia reports the number of young people buying charitable gifts rising steadily for the holidays. Plus Mobilize.org honors five Gen Y entrepreneurs for creative solutions to raising awareness around financial literacy) (Huffington Post) (Inside Retailing) (Chicago Sun-Times)
- Pew Research on teens and distracted driving (the latest report breaks down the rationale behind the persistent risky behavior of texting on the road) (Pew Internet & American Life)
- ‘We did not expect the impromptu moment in question’ (ABC responds to the “number of complaints” received after Adam Lambert’s suggestive performance with the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction defense — meanwhile the show reported its highest ratings with 18-49 year-olds since 2004. Also FX scores cable rights to “Twilight”) (Ad Age, reg. required) (Variety)