Hollywood Teen

Today’s Ypulse Youth Advisory Board post is from Chase Straight on the Gen Y appeal of Foursquare — the location-based mobile check-in service that’s been building buzz steadily for a while now (see the New York Times, reg. required, feature that ran last October). Will we see a tipping point with young adults this year a la Twitter or will the niche of urban techie hipsters hold? Chase weighs in.

Foursquare Turns A Fun Night Out Into A Video Game IRL
Hi, my name is Chase and I’m addicted to Foursquare. Over the last few months, Foursquare has become a key component of my adventures and has launched an all out assault on my Twitter feed. For those of you living under a rock, Foursquare is a location-based mobile social network application that allows you to “check in” to venues, share your location and see where your friends are.

Foursquare’s website traffic has tripled in the first two months of 2010 – making claims like Pete Cashmore’s that Foursquare will become “the new Twitter” all the more credible. Rather than call it the new x or y (cmon, how cliche is that anyway?) I would like to be the first to title it “The New Awesome.”

This is the most fun I’ve had with social media since hijacking my roomate’s computers and updating their Facebook statuses with things they didn’t appreciate. Location-based services are supposedly going to be the new rage, but Foursquare is more than a service or social media outlet, it’s a game. Why do I (and roughly 350,000 other people) love Foursquare so much? Let’s break it down….

Ownership
One of Foursquare’s features is the ability to become “mayor” of a certain venue, anything from a busy nightclub to your bathroom. Check in to a venue at least twice, only once a day counts, and have more checkins than the current mayor to take over. I’ve seen people wage Foursquare war with each other on Twitter (you can sync your Twitter and Facebook feeds with Foursquare checkins) over mayorships of certain venues. The idea of being the “mayor” gives users a sense of ownership, taking a stake in their communities and places they visit. In a sense it’s almost like regulars staking out their “territory.” Sure, I don’t own Cowboy Chow in Dallas, but that doesn’t stop me from parading around the place like I do – I’m the mayor!

Competition
Different actions such as checking in, adding a location, providing a tip, etc., give the user points. Every week there is a running leaderboard to see where you stand among your friends. Hey, who doesn’t like a little friendly competition? Problem is that if you’re with the same people you might end up with the same points! I’ve run across the street at a venue with friends and picked up a quick bite to eat just for the extra check in. Call it obsession if you want, I call it being a champion.

Achievement
Becoming a mayor on Foursquare is just part of the reward of using Foursquare. The best part, in my opinion, is being able to earn a multitude of badges for your efforts. Foursquare keeps the requirements for unlocking these badges hidden, so earning one is always a pleasant surprise. In New York City a couple weeks ago a friend and I unlocked a badge called “I’m on a boat.” Neither of us had any clue why or how we got it, but it sure felt good! Other users can see the badges you’ve unlocked on your profile, so a decent collection affords bragging rights among other users.

Motivation
I’ve heard some say that applications like Foursquare actually detract from a night out but I couldn’t disagree more. On a night where I’d usually hole up at one location, Foursquare provides a motivation to go out and explore as many places as possible. It only takes a few seconds to check in and it’s hilarious to watch a bunch of Foursquare friends whip out their phones to be the first to check in. You know a night has been good when you look at your Twitter feed the next morning and see five or more check-ins.

It all really comes down to motivation doesn’t it? This is a tool meant to enhance and change the way we explore and do and it does just that. Almost every feature of this application is meant to get you moving and exploring.

Some places even provide Foursquare specials that you’ll unlock while out and about, guiding you to new locales. Location based mobile advertising is growing to be a contentious issue based on recent moves from Apple and Google, but scoring a deal is always fun.

On a less “nightclubbish” level, it provides motivation to check out new restaurants, coffee shops, etc. To use the Cowboy Chow example listed above, I’m going to check out other locations at lunch I haven’t been to if I’ve already staked my ownership.

On a wider scale — will Foursquare really be the next big thing? While I’m not going to make claims to that one way or another, I will say that the application is refreshingly innovative. It’s fun to play with friends and turns going through the every day motions of life into a physical videogame. Look for Foursquare to make a serious name for itself after a new version debuted today with a sleeker user interface in preparation for SXSW next week. Still relatively small, Foursquare is on the verge of breaking into the mainstream in a big way.

About Chase
Chase works for a online community management and moderation company. He recently moved to Dallas, TX and serves as Head of Community for an online virtual world for kids. A former journalism major at the University of Utah, he wrote feature articles and album reviews for a music and art magazine. He is fascinated and constantly amazed with how children create and interact online. Aside from his work, Chase is an avid gamer, blogger, live music lover and audiophile who is obsessed with discovering new music and building his already extensive collection. Oh, and he really likes pandas. (You can also find him blogging about virtual worlds on his company’s blog at metaversemodsquad.com/blog)

Last week I was in Chicago speaking to high school freshman and sophomores (as well as separately to parents and counselors) about Totally Wired-related issues. It’s interesting to be revisiting these topics three years after the book first came out. What’s changed? The class/race divisions that are now determining which teens are primarily on MySpace vs. Facebook (I spoke at a large Catholic school, and when I asked who was on MySpace, I think maybe 5 students raised their hands out of 500). The media hype around Twitter (even less hands went up than for MySpace). Lots more parents on Facebook (some who are friends with their teens and some who just insist on having their passwords). And of course, “sexting” is the new potentially viral and legally treacherous way to share naked pics (which makes sense given how text messaging has exploded with U.S. teens in the past couple of years). The recent moral panic over “sexting” has replaced the initial stranger danger fear that was so rampant a couple of years ago.

Now the big adult concern is over online reputation management and potential permanence of the digital trail teens (and really all of us) are leaving behind. Even as I showed ridiculous examples of what people have posted publicly and emphasized that “nothing is truly private online,” I kept thinking that we’re all (youth and adults) going to continue to make mistakes that could potentially follow us online. It made me think about a conversation I had with my husband [who is a psychologist] about “harm reduction.” An example would be using methadone to treat heroin addicts vs. forcing them to go cold turkey. Or even a needle exchange to reduce the risk of spreading HIV among IV drug users. I know those are extreme examples, but as I was giving my standard shpiel about posting more positive information under your real name (blogging, LinkedIn profile, thoughtful comments, etc.) as a way to potentially push those indiscretions or photos someone else may have posted lower in Google search results, I thought this is — in a way — harm reduction. It just felt like as many times and ways as you could tell teenagers to “think before they post,” use privacy settings and beware of what other people might post about you, there is no way to have 100 percent control over your online reputation. Just as the parents who think because they have their teen’s password, they have 100 percent control over what their kids are doing online (teens can create alternate profiles…).

Celebrities and politicians have always had to do damage control when something bad got out (and in our 24/7 online news cycle, they certainly have to do a lot more of it). Now we all have to think of managing our online reputations in a similar way. This means being prepared to “live with” potential mistakes or embarrassing images you can’t take back. Learning how to apologize or thoughtfully speak to past online blunders in future job interviews. Putting as much good stuff about yourself online as possible to overshadow the bad. Technology is changing our cultural norms. Welcome to the brave new world of growing up “totally wired.”

P.S. The image in this post is a Facebook photo posted by former New England Patriots cheerleader Caitlin Davis who was then 18. She was drawing male genitalia and swastikas on her passed out friend. She was fired from the squad as a result.

We’re off to see the ‘Wizard’… again? (the all-time classic is rumored to be in line for a remake at Warner Bros. a la “Alice” with 3-D and serious special effects. Hmm… Also Sony strikes a deal to stream HD movies on PlayStation including “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Up”) (Los Angeles Times) (San Francisco Business Times)

- How will the future of books look on the iPad? (Penguin gives us a glimpse in this clever video exploring the possibilities including immersive kid lit and interactive YA. Plus former Disney star Hilary Duff inks a multiple book deal for a YA series at Simon & Schuster ) (PSFK) (GalleyCat)

- Dora turns 10 (and marketers are coming from all sides looking to jump on the bandwagon. Also Nickelodeon signs ‘iCarly’ creator Dan Schneider up for a three-year, eight-figure production deal) (AdAge.com, reg. required) (Variety, reg. required)

- Apple, American Apparel… and Progressive Insurance (top the brands Gen Y find most authentic, according to a poll of 100 teens conducted by Premise. Also what banks can do to win back Gen Y’s trust… and bank accounts) (US News & World Report)

- RIP Corey Haim (another former child star lost to drugs. Fans are paying tribute on Facebook and Twitter) (AP via Huffington Post) (Mashable)

- Activision Blizzard drops Crispin (the ad agency handling “Guitar Hero.” Some suspect because they “didn’t deliver the desired brand positioning for the franchise.” Also Viacom cuts costs on “Rock Band 3.” Plus a new mobster videogame will feature images from vintage Playboy) (Ad Age, reg. required) (Bloomberg) (Yahoo! News)

- Girls Discovered (specializes in infographics that make you think — with maps and data on the status of adolescent girls worldwide)

- Can brands leverage ChatRoulette for marketing? (Looks like we’re about to find out. Plus Ypulse Mashup advisory board member danah boyd tweets “Congrats news media. In framing ChatRoulette as scary & risky, you’ve motivated many teens who shouldn’t participate to do so. Good job.” ) (Mr. Youth)

- MySpace revamp (looks to save the site by positioning it “as a repository for all things music, Avatar and Twilight for the under-35 crowd.” Meanwhile at GDC a new MySpace Games homepage was relaunched. Also Facebook moves into Foursquare territory with a new location-based feature ) (USA Today) (Social Times) (New York Times, reg. required)

Today’s Ypulse Youth Advisory Board review comes from Alyx who took in the latest twisted fairy tale to get the Tim Burton treatment — “Alice in Wonderland.” Remember, you can communicate directly with any member of the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board by emailing them at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com…or just leave a comment below!

YAB Review: ‘Alice In Wonderland’

What was the biggest draw for you to see this movie?
Isn’t it obvious? Tim Burton! He is a master genius when it comes to creating new creepy worlds. Sometimes I love his work, and sometimes it freaks me out, but either way, it’s usually worth checking out. Also, two of Tim’s (and my) favorite actors were in this project—Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. He’s worked with these two fine actors on multiple projects, and it usually happens to make great films.

What did you expect going in?
This film has been gaining hype since the moment the first trailer came out  a long while back. By now, it was bound to be a huge phenomenon, even if the movie turned out to be a flop. The trailer looked so good that I just could not wait for it to come out. I expected this to be the next big Disney hit like “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

All I knew about the plot was simply that it was a continuation of the first Alice in Wonderland movie. To refresh my memory, I watched the original on YouTube (illegally), only to realize that I cannot stand it. It is the most wacky, pointless film Disney has ever created, and so I deeply hoped that the new (and hopefully improved) Alice movie would stay true to its literary roots.

Describe your moviegoing experience
I get to the theater early expecting a gaggle of fanatics lining up hours in advance, only to find a small line inside, waiting patiently for the film. “Maybe the fanatics bought their tickets online and are still getting dressed up in costume to come to the movie,” I thought to myself. But as it came closer and closer to show time, only a few more came (unfortunately, none dressed in full Mad Hatter attire). By the time the movie started, the theater was only three-quarters full. A handful of the viewers were teens (such as myself), and the others were mainly adults. I guess it was the 9 p.m. showing, and so all the kids might have gone earlier, but still…. I expected more.

Sum It Up
This film is almost like a sequel to the original Disney classic. Alice has returned to Wonderland (even though, for some reason, she mispronounced it originally and we now learn the world is actually called Underland) through yet another rabbit hole. Everything seems strikingly similar, but before she has time to put the pieces together, she is attacked by the Queen of Heart’s card soldiers and beast. Next, through a series of long (sometimes seemingly pointless) string of events, she meets the Mad Hatter (who for some reason doesn’t seem all that mad to me). He is soon captured and Alice takes it upon herself to rescue him, and in turn, lets her predetermined destiny take charge (which seems so very un-Alice like).

What did you walk out of the theater thinking?
So here’s the deal—I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. It was definitely no “Pirates.” To me, it just seemed like a typical adaptation of a children’s film (which I guess it was supposed to be). Nothing happened within the film to make me think it was meant for adults. The characters were bland. They were molded by the actions they made, not by emotions or relationships. It was a plot-based film, which is fine, except when you go in thinking it’ll be more than just that (call it the Burton factor). Alice did not stand out in any way shape or form, as well as the Mad Hatter (surprisingly). On the other hand, the Queen of Hearts stole my heart. She can chop my head off any time, for she was truly delightful to watch (always the pleasure Helena Bonham Carter). A big positive though, was that it was visually stunning. Not as much as “Avatar,” but good enough. The 3D, however, didn’t particicularly impress me this time around, but oh well. Disney will eventually learn to get it right just like everyone else in the movie making business. Anywho, “Alice in Wonderland” is a fun-filled movie that will whisk you away for couple hours into a wonderful world, and thankfully, this time you don’t have to be as mad as a hatter to understand the meaning behind the plot.

About Alyx

Alyx Steadman is a sophomore in high school in Montana, and loves every minute of it. He loves reading, writing, acting, singing, and being a social butterfly. In the past people have accused him of being a YouTube addict and a pop culture junkie (and sadly Alyx cannot deny these accusations). His love for teen culture has led him to many hours slaving on the computer soaking up every piece of drama Hollywood has to offer. In the future he hopes to pursue a writing career as some type of journalist. Excited doesn’t even begin to cover how he’s feeling to be in the Ypulse Advisory Board.

Today’s Ypulse Author Spotlight is on Russ Federman, Ph.D. and Facing Bipolar: The Young Adult’s Guide To Dealing With Bipolar Disorder. As the director of counseling and psychological services at the University of Virginia, Federman has seen many newly diagnosed college students struggle to manage their condition. By teaming up with psychiatrist Andy Thomson, MD, Dr. Federman to produce a guide directly targeted towards young adults who find themselves in that position, he hopes to offer a unique and valuable starting point .

Facing Bipolar is out in bookstores now, but we’re giving away free copies to the first three commenters who share a book (fictional or non-fictional) that provided them comfort in college and why they loved reading it.

Ypulse: What inspired your work with bipolar disorder, particularly with a focus on teens and young adults struggling with the disorder?

Russ Federman: I’ve worked in university mental-health for 20 years and over that time I’ve treated many students with symptoms of bipolar disorder. Due to my own post-polio physical disability, I’ve found myself to be particularly attuned to the challenges faced by bipolar students who are trying to adapt to things over which they have only limited control. Additionally, at the national level, I’ve seen bipolar students often underserved by university mental health systems,  and I’ve wanted to make a difference.

YP: What’s your biggest concern with the way that mental illness and bipolar disorder is handled by the media? How can young adults overcome the stigma?

RF: My biggest concern is that bipolar disorder is often overdramatized as a result of those who engage in more extreme behaviors; whereas many people with bipolar disorder are able to live reasonable lives with only intermittent episodes of instability. Even then when managed well, instability can be controlled. I don’t think that’s the impression that’s typically conveyed through the media. As for stigma, each individual must take responsibility for gradually undoing stigma through his or her own personal relationships. That is, as individuals with bipolar disorder gradually disclose their bipolar diagnosis to those that they know and trust, they will gradually change perceptions and opinions of others. Over time, stigma will change as bipolar individuals are known and understood within the context of individual relationships.

YP: What are some of the unique challenges faced by college students newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder? What are the first steps a young adult can take to overcome those challenges?

RF: The biggest challenge is maintaining a healthy lifestyle while trying to remain consistent with peer group lifestyle norms. We know that erratic sleep patterns and intermittent substance use (heavier for some) are common aspects of university life. These are also factors which will place one at higher risk for relapse of bipolar instability. Additionally, college is a very stressful time and stress can also serve as a trigger for bipolar symptoms. So the bottom line is students need to be able to become good at managing their stress levels while adhering to healthy sleep hygiene and substance use abstinence.

Establishing a regular sleep wake cycle is really important – trying to get to bed the same time each night and awakening at the same time every morning. Even on weekends! To accomplish this, students also need to refrain from afternoon sleeping. They will find that they are able get to bed earlier if they stay fully awake throughout the daytime hours. Readers will be surprised at how far this simple adjustment can go in assisting to stabilize bipolar symptoms.

YP: What are some resources — online or off — parents/educators/counselors can use to help support young adults coping with bipolar disorder? What are some good online resources for college students looking for support?

RF: - BipolarYoungAdult.com – Website with about the book “Facing Bipolar” as well as strong resource information about bipolar disorder
- National Institute of Mental Health- Bipolar Disorder Booklet – Comprehensive (downloadable) booklet on bipolar disorder.
- Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance- national organization with comprehensive information, links, media information and membership options for those with bipolar disorder
- K12 Academics – Bipolar Disorder- A national organization with topics pertinent to education, including important medical/psychological issues. The site provides excellent information about bipolar disorder
- Pendulum.org- A national nonprofit resource for bipolar disorder information, support and education
- Mayo Clinic Bipolar Information- A nationally recognized provider of medical services with a website providing thorough and reputable information about bipolar disorder
- Healthy Place – Bipolar Information- A thorough and informative educational and support website devoted to bipolar disorder
- HelpGuide.com – Bipolar Self-help and Support- A nonprofit organization devoted to providing education, health and support to individuals and families facing mental health issues. Excellent information provided about bipolar disorder
- TeensHealth.org – Bipolar Information- A website devoted to physical and mental health-related issues for teenagers. Excellent information provided about bipolar disorder
- MedLine Plus – Bipolar Disorder- A website with thorough information about bipolar disorder sponsored by the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health.
- Bipolar Hope- An informational website for the hard copy magazine – Bipolar Hope – a nicely done monthly magazine publication for those with bipolar disorder
- Depressed Teens- An education and advocacy group through the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation

YP: Who should read Facing Bipolar? Anything else Ypulse Readers should know?

RF: Anyone who is or thinks they may be initially encountering their own bipolar disorder. The book is a good place to start. It’s written in very down to earth and easily digestible language.

For more coverage of YA books and publishing, check out the Ypulse Books & Print Channel sponsored by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, publishers of Fang.

‘Rapunzel’ becomes ‘Tangled’ (as part of Disney’s efforts to retool its next animated release to appeal to boys. Plus ABC Family picks up the broadcast rights to “Alice in Wonderland”) (Reuters)

-Dentyne gets fresh (with a series of suggestive spots and the tagline “Practice safe breath.” And Diet Coke targets “next gen” consumers) (AdFreak) (Brandweek)

- NYC Teen Author Festival (Readergirlz posts the full schedule for next week! Plus Seth Grahame-Smith talks to blog talk radio show Morning Media Menu on the new monster mashup genre he helped create. And a perennial favorite: Los Angeles Times discovers adults are reading YA lit)

- Gen Y spending (will play a key role in economic recovery says a new report from PriceWaterHouseCoopers. Plus how resilient Millennials are faring after taking the hardest economic hit in Australia) (MediaPost, reg. required) (Herald Sun)

- Shaun White Shoes (designed by White himself for skaters are the latest to come out of his lucrative Target line. Also following the success of last year, Men’s Wearhouse relaunches its social media platform for prom. And Vancouver-area Gap stores introduce a new customer loyalty program by literally turning the business upside-down) (MediaPost, reg. required) (Clickz) (Suite101)

- Zac gives back (the HSM star launches a TwitPic photo competition to raise money and awareness for I’m Too Young For This! Also Aeropostale and DoSomething.org’s Third Annual “Teens for Jeans” drive donates 625,000 jeans to homeless youth in the US, Canada and Haiti)

- Growing up in the age of internet porn (the ongoing debate around the cost of early exposure continues. Also a British boy band is rumored to be launching their own line of condoms) (Washington Post) (Mirror)

- One Day, One Job (PSFK interviews the recent grad turned entrepreneur behind the “daily blog and newsletter highlighting desirable [and often hiring] companies and how to best apply for a position.” Also Brazen Careerist launches Social Resumes, described as “the first active, live resume that highlights candidate ideas, thoughts and future plans as much their past experience.”)

- Betty White to host SNL (thanks to the power of social media) (New York Magazine)

Today’s Ypulse Interview is with Brett Booth, head of  The Sound TV — a recently launched video hub described on the site as “a community where young people create and upload short films about their lives. Each month we ask a new question and all you need to do is make a film answering the question in as creative and inspiring way possible.” A simple but intriguing set up, Brett and his team at international youth research agency The Sound hope the site will provide a valuable service to brands, advertisers and ultimately youth alike. We reached out to Brett to find out more.

Ypulse: What inspired The Sound TV?

Brett Booth: Simply put, the growing ability and desire to broadcast is one of the key things that inspired this project. Without cultural acceptance and the tech-fuelled will to be seen and heard, The Sound TV just wouldn’t have happened. This, coupled with the interest among brands to get closer to the consumer, whilst budget pressures remain, spelt “opportunity” for us to create such a platform.

YP: What was the initial idea and how did that evolve into the site?

BB: Vox pops, video diaries and documentary make up a consistent portion of our project output. It provides a richness, a way of bringing our findings to life through a medium that our clients love. With this in mind, we wondered “What if we could bring to life some of the bigger universal themes facing young adults today, for a wider spectrum of interest groups beyond our project specific clients?” Careful thought and consideration led us to where we are now with a flexible model that we can mould and adapt as we grow.

YP: How does the team go about developing the questions for each month?

BB: Each month’s theme is chosen with a combined consideration for current affairs, subscriber input and issues raised by our members in response to previous discussions.

YP: How much input from teens and young adults is involved? Can you give one or two examples?

BB: As I mentioned before, everyone who takes part plays a role in the progression of the project, as every thought shared can feed future topics and generate further debate. For the first month’s theme we explored Generational Differences. In response to this we heard about issues of gender, freedom, communication and more. The points raised here were basically the identifiers that this group apply to their generation. As a starting point, this has provided a multitude of avenues to tread going forward. It could well be just one person’s comment that we pinpoint as a starting block for a whole month’s discussion. If it is a case of simply asking “How are young people involved in this?” the answer is, they are the camera operators, they are the editors and they are the subjects. In many cases they are all three.

YP: What makes a model like The Sound different from the trendspotter panels some youth marketing agencies use for qualitative research? How are you getting brands and advertisers involved?

BB: Good question. Firstly, we’re not about trends. This is a moving image of life right now. It’s the nearest you will get to actually meeting hundreds of young adults in person without the travel and project costs. Of course there are some panels and networks out there that can be tapped into already, but the richness of video alone is a plus point. Adding to that the experience and wealth of perspective from a brand-side Insight and Strategy background, we knew this had to have tool-like functionality allowing searchability of content that becomes richer and richer with time. Imagine, I want a video of an under 18 male from the UK talking about gender, we’ll have that. In terms of involving brands, there really isn’t any involvement over and above the opportunity to be a viewer. There is a chance to suggest future themes for discussion, but that’s not a guaranteed privilege. As for advertisers, well, there aren’t any.

YP: What has been the most rewarding part of developing the site and watching it grow? The most challenging?

BB: The most rewarding part of developing the site for me has to be the level of effort and quality of content showcased by some of our members. If that alone doesn’t suggest that these guys value the opportunity, I’m not sure what will. Some of the uploads from month one have really set the standard for those that will follow, but it’s also great to have a variety of quality, it’s a reflection of reality.Tech access and skills are considerably varied. As for the biggest challenge, I’m sure it is yet to come.

YP: Who should take a look at The Sound TV?

BB: Anyone who is interested in the lives of 16 to 30s. This is a valuable and rich resource that needs to explored. If I had had access to something like this at MTV (Editor’s Note: Brett previously headed up the global youth trends division at MTV), I know how I would have put this to work.

YP: Anything else Ypulse readers should know?

BB: We’re open to feedback. If this sounds interesting but Ypulse readers have ideas about how The Sound TV could be developed to better suit their needs, come and talk to us. We have already made functional alterations and additions to meet the bespoke needs of our early adopting subscribers. Where feasible we’ll do it again.

For more coverage of youth marketing insiders, go to the Marketing Insiders Channel sponsored by Youth Marketing Connection

Today we bring you another installment of Youth Media Movers and Shakers. We’ve culled through industry publications looking for the recent executive placements we think you should know about. If you have executive news that you want us to highlight in our next “Movers and Shakers,” email me.

Comedy Central has promoted David Bernath to exec veep in charge of program strategy and multiplatform programming. (Variety, reg. required)

Chris DeWolfe was indeed prepping his first acquisition: the MySpace co-creator bought gaming platform MindJolt. (Gawker)

Troubled social networking giant MySpace has lost another key executive with the recent departure of John Faith, until recently General Manager and Vice President of MySpace Mobile. (TechCrunch)

Discovery Education appoints Clint Perez as VP/Marketing. He will report to Lori McFarling, CMO/Discovery Education. Perez have strategic oversight across a range of Discovery Education marketing programs designed to support school districts with digital curriculums, student achievement and teacher effectiveness in grades K-12 and higher education. (Cynopsis Kids)

MinOnline is reporting that Conde Nast has hired Sabine Feldmann as its new associate publisher – advertising at Teen Vogue. Feldmann replaces David Stuckey, who left Teen Vogue for regular Vogue will be reporting to vice president/publisher Laura McEwen. Feldmann has been a vice president, publisher and chief brand officer at American Media’s Shape since 2009. She joins Teen Vogue is effective April 1. (Mediabistro, reg. required)

One of the cofounders of Zynga, the company’s executive vice president of sales and business development Andrew Trader, is no longer with the company, we’ve confirmed. He has been quietly removed from the company’s management page. Remaining cofounders – Mark Pincus, Michael Luxton, Eric Schiermeyer, Justin Waldron and Steve Schoettler, are still there. (TechCrunch)

MTV Networks International this morning named Philip Bourchier O’Ferrall senior vice president-digital media. O’Ferrall, who was previously responsible for digital media in the U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, will now oversee all of MTV Networks’ digital media businesses across all platforms worldwide. (MediaPost, reg. required)

Sasha Illingworth has been named art director, children’s division, at HarperCollins. She had been associate art director there. (Mediabistro, reg. required)

For more coverage of youth marketing insiders, go to the Marketing Insiders Channel sponsored by Youth Marketing Connection

Oscars add youthful touches (but don’t quite up the awards’ hip quotient. Sparxoo also commented on the Gen Y appeal of presenter picks, including host Alec Baldwin of cult fave “30 Rock.” And a very strong response to the John Hughes tribute.…Also Hughes apparently had an unproduced screenplay floating around Hollywood) (Reuters) (Sparxoo) (PopMatters) (Hollywood Reporter)

- ‘It Can Wait’ (is the message of a new PSA campaign launched by AT&T to discourage texting while driving. USA Today covers the announcement and the research behind the movement)

- ‘Alice’ ad catches heat (for taking over the front page. Also Entertainment Weekly reports a record-breaking opening weekend) (CNN) (via Mashable)

- American Apparel teams with crowdsourcing style site LOOKBOOK.nu (”to create a snapshot of their customers at their most creative.” Plus February was good to teen retail — including recent straggler Abercrombie & Fitch) (PSFK) (Reuters)

- Coco on tour (details are starting to roll out on tour dates for the live Conan O’Brien show. Also meet Sarah Killen, the random 19-year-old Conan chose as his one and only Twitter friend.  And NBC renews its Thursday night comedy lineup: 30 Rock, Community, The Office and Parks and Recreation) (The Wrap) (New York Magazine)

- Does the iPad have youth appeal? (if you go by this unscientific study of Facebook users who fanned the device… Plus in more legit research circles a new study on the “elusive but powerful consumer” that is the teen girl) (ReadWriteWeb)

- Candid sex talk (is becoming a more significant relationship milestone than meeting the parents, according to a recent poll in the UK. And speaking of parents and candid talks.. American households are keeping kids 6 to 16 in the loop with financial matters) (BBC) (MediaPost, reg. required)

- More on the UC budget crisis (an op-ed on CNN offers another [less popular] take on the broken system that students have been protesting in California. Plus fixing STEM education requires cooperation.. and more funding) (ars technica)

- Arab youth (the majority regard themselves as “global citizens” and want good relations with the international community. Interesting insights from a recent poll in the Middle East) (The Media Line)

- Teen Scene Spring Break 2010 (the sponsored virtual tour launched last week via blog, vlog and tweets. Also Anastasia’s old stomping ground Teen Voices debuts a new website)

Today we bring you our weekly sampler of the cool youth media and marketing gigs you can expect to find on our Ypulse Jobs Board. If your company has an open position in the youth media or marketing space, we encourage you to post there. Post a job today and we’ll feature your opening in our weekly Ypulse Jobs roundup. Don’t forget to join the Ypulse LinkedIn group if you haven’t yet for focused career networking

Associate Manager, Product Marketing, Digital Publishing at Disney Interactive Studios
Industry: Digital Marketing/Mobile
Location: Glendale, CA
Description: This position will play a key role in our digital product marketing efforts, including leading initiatives to capture the quick movement of the mobile & connected console entertainment space, such as developing product strategies, monitoring customer behavior trends, facilitating the strategic marketing plan, executing competitive product analysis and coordinating primary research for the digital content division of Disney Interactive Studios. More

Marketing Coordinator at ThreeSixty Journalism, University of St. Thomas
Industry: Journalism/Marketing
Location: St. Paul, MN
Description: You will work with the executive director, youth publications editor, teen editors and board to develop and implement strategies to: Grow the audience for the ThreeSixty on-line magazine and build relationships with teachers interested in using ThreeSixty material in their classrooms. Extend outreach efforts and grow the number of teen participants from underserved communities. Increase ThreeSixty’s visibility among donors, funders, volunteers and teens via free media, social networking, e-newsletters and other means. Recording and tracking data to measure program impact and reporting that to staff and board. More

Media and Communications Manager at the Institute for Children and Poverty
Industry: Communications/Nonprofit
Location: New York, NY
Description: ICP is seeking an experienced professional to help craft a communications agenda around policy issues affecting poor and homeless children and their families. The Media and Communications Manager will work with a team of managers to develop roll-out strategies for a variety of policy and research publications; manage all media relations and public affairs activities to ensure consistency of message; participate on a conference planning team; track public events related to mission and coordinate ICPs participation; coordinate production schedule for variety of publications ranging from weekly e-blasts to a quarterly magazine; oversee development of marketing materials for publications and events; manage a growing national database of contacts; oversee a staff of 3 or 4 professionals. More (via Mediabistro, reg. required)

Sexual Health Educator and New Media Specialist at The Section of Family Planning, University of Chicago
Industry: Health Education/New Media
Location: Chicago, IL
Description: The Section of Family Planning within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is committed to the health and wellbeing of adolescents and strives to help them prevent sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy. The Section is beginning an exciting new project on sexual and reproductive health education for youth. The Section also intends to integrate technology into its existing policy, research and clinical programs. The Research Project Professional will lead the research, development and implementation of a technology-based sexual education program. Initial stages will entail research and data gathering with the assistance of our research and policy staff; forming partnerships with youth, families, community based organizations and others in the field; coordinating classroom activities around sex education; and developing a proposal for the project. Subsequent activities will include: managing the development of an educational program; coordinating the day-to-day activities associated with program implementation; and participation in program promotion. More (via idealist.org)

Regional Sales Manager at myYearbook
Industry: Sales/Social Media
Location: New York, NY
Description: As a Regional Sales Manager you will: Maintain and grow a list of major agencies and clients to achieve individual sales goals; prospect (cold calling/emailing), lead generation and develop new business pitches; consult with clients on their marketing objectives and provide innovative solutions which leverage myYearbook’s unique and high performance advertising products; coordinate with sales development, ad ops and sales planners to pull together campaigns and manage them to success; forecast, track and report sales performance. More (Mediabistro, reg. required)

MTV launches ‘Needle in the Haystack’ (a multiplatform showcase for up-and-coming artists that kicks off the network’s new initiative with online music community/discovery site OurStage. Incidentally, this announcement was made at the same event where MTV president Van Toffler reasserted the brand had only dropped music television in name, not spirit) (Reuters)

- More wine tasting, less binge drinking (in France, a government-commissioned report advises campuses to encourage moderation through education. An interesting strategy, in light of a recent stateside study that found anti-binge drinking PSAs that focus on guilt and shame may actually trigger more damaging behavior in college students. Also exposure to tobacco ads puts teens at greater risk to start smoking) (Guardian) (Ad Age, reg. required) (MedIndia)

- Can CBS keep ‘Dad’ crass (enough to stay funny? EW shares concerns… and some alternative titles for the upcoming twitcom based on “S**** My Dad Says. Also The CW renews ‘Smallville’ for a 10th season. Wow) (Zap2It)

- Digital Na(t)ives (a report explores the variation in tech savvy skills among Millennials — i.e., who actually lives up to the generational reputation. Also building trust in your brand with Millennials) (Web Use Project) (MediaPost, reg. required)

- Will ‘Alice’ rewrite DVD rules? (Plus ‘Green Lantern’ and ‘Sucker Punch’ will be released in 3-D) (CNBC) (THR)

- How to engage the next generation of volunteers (Plus text answer service ChaCha repurposes data mined from teen and young adult users in a study on brand preferences) (USA Today) (Search Engine Watch)

- Crayola to target tween girls (with activity kits that tie to an online world. Plus a [cat]walkthrough the new “Project Runway” Wii video game) (ToyXplosion) (New York Times, reg. required)

- ‘American Idol’ shifts social media strategy (stripping contestants of individual social media accounts. Also MTV is not in the market to buy a social network) (Mashable) (Billboard)

- Community colleges get creative (taking advantage of property left vacant by the recent real estate crisis. Plus coverage from yesterday’s widespread campus protests, a largely peaceful effort with the exception of a splinter group rushing freeways in Oakland) (PSFK) (The Chronicle of Higher Education)

Today’s Ypulse Youth Advisory Board review comes from Lauren Williams who tuned into NBC for the premiere of Ron Howard’s new family dramedy “Parenthood.”

Boasting a talented multigenerational cast skewed on the younger side and featuring the likes of Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham), “Parenthood” seems like a ripe candidate for co-viewing. At least, that was my first impression. I didn’t have a chance to catch the pilot, but would be curious to hear what Ypulse readers thought on that front. Feel free to respond in comments and, as always, you can communicate directly with any member of the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board by emailing them at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com.

YAB Review: ‘Parenthood’

What was the biggest draw?: Lorelai Gilmore returns to television as Lorelai Gilmore. Ron Howard recreates the funny-family concept as a drama. NBC is due for at least one other good hour-long show. I mean “Chuck” can’t support the network alone forever. Really, the promos were heartwarmingly funny, and the level of talent screams, “Watch me!” I couldn’t resist. Ever since the show entered my radar back at the start of the fall season, I’ve been waiting.

How much did you know beforehand?: I knew everything about the show’s turmoil on its way to production, the final cast list, and the general idea, but I didn’t know anything about the characters or their connections to one another on the whole. Apparently, Parenthood was a popular film in 1989 and was a critically acclaimed, yet ultimately failed sitcom in 1990. Third time’s a charm?

How did you tune in?: I watched on Hulu.com the morning after its official airing. I like having immediate access to other people’s thoughts in the discussions posted below the video. Many viewers had a great deal to say about the Aspergers storyline, and the debate got heated. Watching online, I feel, provides an instantaneous community of viewers. I don’t have to awkwardly fumble around asking every person I meet IRL if they watched “Parenthood” last night.

Sum it up: The pilot worked as any pilot does, introducing a large cast of characters and plots as efficiently as possible. Most fail with too much exposition or by trying to get to the meat too quickly. Parenthood succeeded. The Braverman family consists of two grandparents, four adult siblings and their various significant others, and five children. Sarah, a bankrupt divorcee moves to Berkeley with her two stereotypically “troubled” teenage children. Adam and Kristina live a “normal” life with their teenage daughter and socially awkward son who may be a little less “normal” than anyone realizes. Workaholic Julie tries to connect with her daughter who prefers when Daddy sings her to sleep. Then there’s Crosby, the youngest Braverman sibling, a commitment-dodger who after agreeing to have a baby with his girlfriend of three years, gets a life changing phone call from a former flame. Rounding out the family is Zeek, the tough-as-nails head of the family, and Camille, the strong-willed matron. As each member of the family deals with their individual plots, they periodically come together for picturesque family dinners and general support.

So, what did you think?: Loved it. Within five minutes, the compelling characters, cliché-yet-still-relevant stories, witty comedy, and fantastic actors (ahem, Lauren Graham, anyone?) hooked me. I will absolutely be watching next week (already subscribed on Hulu) and for many weeks (and hopefully years) to come, so long as NBC doesn’t force the show into prime-time soap opera territory. I don’t watch “Brothers and Sisters” for a reason.

About Lauren

Lauren recently spent a harrowing year in England where she overcame her life’s demons and finally found her answer to that itching question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Currently, she is completing her final year at Northern Arizona University. She will graduate this spring with a BA in English and a minor in Cinema and Visual Culture. Meanwhile, she is keenly stressing herself out by volunteering to take on a 60 page undergraduate thesis about Superman. When not studying, Lauren enjoys watching ungodly amounts of television. An All-American girl, Lauren loves baseball, Coca-Cola, cherry pie, and violent action films. Her favorite pastimes include hanging out in grapefruit trees, building complex civilizations out of LEGOS, and digging for dinosaur bones in the sandbox.

It’s Anastasia, posting from Chicagoland where I’ve been speaking about “Totally Wired” issues to teens and their parents. I’ve also been busy planning this year’s 4th annual Ypulse Youth Marketing Mashup event. The speaker confirmations have been rolling in and I wanted to share some new names we’ve added to our May lineup…

Spotlight Keynote: Dr. Genevieve Bell, Intel Fellow, Digital Home Group, Director, User Experience Group. Genevieve is an anthropologist by training and has been traveling around the world studying how consumers interact with technology (or don’t!). She will open our eyes and offer a global perspective on how youth are engaging with (and in some places are disengaged from) technology. You can learn more about Genevieve from Fast Company’s profile where she was named one of the 100 most creative people in business.

Community Keynote: Jamie Tworkowski, Founder, To Write Love On Her Arms. In 2006, Jamie Tworkowski founded To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), a non-profit group dedicated to helping those who suffer from depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicidal tendencies find hope, support and love. TWLOHA began as a simple attempt to tell the story of a friend in need of treatment, and soon became an internet phenomenon and global movement. Jamie will inspire us with the compelling story of TWLOHA and how they were able to reach thousands of young people online and with music.

Tweens Keynote: Richard Loomis, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Creative, Disney Channels Worldwide and Kelly Pena, Vice President, Disney Channels Worldwide Brand Research Richard and Kelly will offer us a glimpse into “where the [tween] boys are” with a presentation focused on DisneyXD!

And if this isn’t enough to inspire you to register right now (and save with the “early adopter” rates), we’ve also added the following speakers:

- Robin Sloan, Partner Development/Media, Twitter
- Ryan Garman, President, Co-Founder, AllDorm
- Anne Collier, Co-director, ConnectSafely.org
- Nathan Sawatzky, Director of Community Support, Disney Online Studios
- Elisa Haidt, Sr. Marketing Manager, Education, Adobe Systems Inc.
- Simon Fleming-Wood, Senior Director, Marketing, Cisco Consumer Products
- Nate Bosshard, Brand Manager Action Sports & Outdoors, The North Face
- Scott De Yager, Social Media Supervisor, Toyota
- Jason Harty, Brand Manager, vitaminwater

And the list continues to grow! Don’t wait until the last minute….

College apps turned auditions (prospective Tufts students take up the chance to use YouTube to stand out from the pack of applicants. Plus a ugc PSA contest invites teens to share what they do for a “natural high” on YouTube) (New York Times, reg. required)

- Listen up (a new cyberbullying study from the Youth Voice Project finds “being heard and acknowledged” by adults and peers was the most helpful response for students dealing with bullies. And in other news that should encourage those in the space, a national survey links a sharp drop in bullying to the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs. Plus more fodder for chicken and the egg debates: a study finds frequent violent video game play leads to more aggressive kids) (Net Family News) (AP) (US News & World Report)

- MTV reboots ‘Unplugged’ (as a multiplatform branded-entertainment vehicle for Starburst, which will sponsor the concert series’ revival across cable siblings MTV, VH1 and CMT) (Ad Age, reg. required)

- Washington texting ban targets teen drivers (and restricts both handheld and hands-free cell phone use. Plus check out the LG Ponder Game another irreverent addition to the ongoing “Give It A Ponder” campaign) (Seattle Times) (Candystand.com)

- ‘Alice’ vs. ‘Avatar’ (starting tonight the new release will take over at IMAX theaters in New York, even though “Avatar” continues to boast sold out screenings. And first Jason Segal takes on Muppets, now his “How I Met Your Mother” co-star Neil Patrick Harris stars in “Smurfs”) (New York Post) (Deadline New York)

- Stephen Colbert slams Kwedit (with some inaccurate digs at the site’s admittedly baffling IOU payment model for tweens. Granted, after scoring $3.3 million in a second round of financing, they might be getting the last laugh. Also BookRenter, another contender in – you guessed it – the textbook rental space) (TechCrunch)

- More on Oscars 2.0 (this year the awards get live streamed. Also check out Oscar picks from Jackson Murphy the 11-year-old film critic behind “Lights Camera Jackson”) (GigaOM) (USA Today)

- ‘The Age of Anti-Cool’ (interesting take on the rise of relatable icons like the cast of “Glee” and Shaun White. Speaking of… Ubisoft continues to expand the Shaun White franchise with a new skateboarding game. Also MediaPost, reg. required, dives down on the latest Millennial research to come out of Pew Research Center) (MediaPost, reg. required)

Today we’re introducing the Ypulse Research Panelist Profile, a new regular feature that we hope will give readers a glimpse behind-the-scenes of our Ypulse Research division. When we expanded last year to become Youth Pulse Inc., we were lucky enough to join forces with the team of top notch researchers that now comprise Ypulse Research & Insights (formerly SurveyU) and tap into their expansive network that includes thousands of high school and college students across the country. In this new monthly installment, we put the spotlight on one of those panelists and get to know the students behind the surveys. This month we meet… Mike Vosters.

Hometown: Olathe, Kansas

Current City: Fort Worth, Texas

Dream City: Wherever happiness lies, which will most likely be whatever area there is where I can develop a cul-de-sac where my friends and I can all build houses to raise our kids. Ideally with a good public school system, inexpensive real estate, and decent weather.

School: Texas Christian University

Major: Marketing with a double minor in Spanish and Economics

Interests: Audio equipment, DJs, loud speakers, music in general, soccer, foosball, and work, which has pretty much been play for the past year

Dream gig: One thing I’ve always wanted to do was go on tour managing a recording artist. That’s slightly changed now to working in the digital realm — promoting and marketing and just connecting the music to fans in a relevant way.

What five items (gadgets, books, games, etc.) would you pick to endlessly amuse yourself on a desert island (there are electrical outlets there): I’d take a laptop loaded with Command and Conquer Red Alert, board games Risk and Stratego, “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand, the movie “Forrest Gump” and I would definitely take the Kanye West album “Graduation.”

Best part of being your age today: I’m in college so no one expects anything of me.

Worst part of being your age today: I’m in college so everyone assumes nothing of me.

Remember, you can subscribe to our monthly syndicated research report online or contact Ypulse President Dan Coates with inquiries for custom youth research and insights projects.