The decade in music (nice retrospective from USA Today on the rise of digital, the fall of record companies and the future of fame. See my Year in Review post today for our thoughts on the latter. Also record company-backed video hub Vevo starts putting pressure on teen Muziic founder. Erm, sounds like a familiar strategy, no?)
(CNET)

- GirlTalk Radio (a podcast by and for young girls who love math and science featuring interviews with women from various science-based professions. How cool is this?) (Boing Boing)

- Phelps resurfaces at Subway (the sponsor that stuck by features Phelps in a new TV spot. And more talk around the wisdom behind Pepsi bowing out of the Super Bowl in favor of an online push) (Brandweek) (MediaPost, reg. required)

- Microsoft fights the aging process (by taking a good, hard look at how to keep and recruit Gen Y'ers into their ranks. Definitely check out the excerpts from the employee authored paper titled "Are You Ready for Generation Y?") (ZDNet)

- Mommy and me… and Jenny Craig (in an effort to curb the obesity epidemic, a study on whether overweight children find it easier to lose weight and stay healthy with a parent pursuing the same goal. Also kids today miss out on the benefits of boredom) (Seattle P-I) (Telegraph)

- 'White Flight' (danah boyd shares a draft of an upcoming article that explores her research on the racial divisions reflected in social networks)

- Can 'Idol' survive without Simon? (Ad Age, reg. required, speculates on how the rumored departure of AI resident villain will impact the already struggling show. Also a reality show about the real residents of Forks is in the works) (Hollyscoop)

- 'The Decline of the English Department' (a look at the varied reasons why undergraduates are shifting away from the humanities and what can be done to reverse the trend) (The American Scholar)

The Hunt For Lost Boys' [Media]
If you mistook 2009 for the sequel to the "year of the fangirl," you wouldn't be too far off. With "New Moon" madness, The CW going into teen drama overdrive and another round of "girly" video games (sigh), for better or worse girl culture was all over the media landscape. Meanwhile, major industry players were generating headlines and speculation over efforts to drum up excitement from the male sector of the tween/teen demo. And the guy space certainly could use a shot in the arm now that Harry Potter (and his fans) are all grown up and FOX seems more than happy to rely on a steady stream of Seth MacFarlane (not without good reason, given the success we saw in our recent research on TV habits). Still, as we learned from the launch of Disney XD, a channel engineered to attract tween boys, it's easier to talk about a gaping niche than actually fill it. Especially with an emerging model of masculinity bubbling up in real life (hurray for hugging!) that still doesn't quite equate with what they want to see on screen (see Disney XD ratings). We'll save the predictions for our predictions post next year, but safe to say with Disney's near-complete sale of superhero arsenal Marvel and several contenders in the YA realm with movies in the works (Percy Jackson, Wimpy Kid, etc) the search is officially on for the next multimedia male phenomenon.

From the Ypulse Archives:

Disney Succeeds With Tween Girls [Without Really Trying]
Where the Boys Are
A New Generation Revisits Masculinity
The Story Behind The Stats: Stacking Up FOX's 'Animation Domination' Block
It's Alright [For Guys] To Hug
Author Spotlight: 'Packaging Boyhood' By Mark Tappan, Lyn Brown & Sharon Lamb
Will Disney & Marvel's Marriage Produce New Ideas?

The Rise of  'Sext' Ed
Reflecting the shift in focus from stranger danger to peer pressure online, in 2009 "sexting" grew to become the official buzzword behind a new storm of media panic that accusingly asked what teens/tweens were really doing with technology. As if parents needed more reasons to worry. Fortunately there was also a twin wave of efforts aimed at quelling the hysteria not only through the ongoing work of researchers, non-profits and other organizations, but also high profile media initiatives like MTV's recently launched A Thin Line campaign and "Smokescreen," an in-depth digital ethics game sponsored by Channel 4 in the UK. What was most encouraging to see from these and other recent attempts to raise awareness (including LG's absurd, yet mesmerizing "Give It A Ponder" series) was the move away from right/wrong rhetoric towards a more nuanced approach at addressing the issues behind the trend, opening the necessary, broader discussion of online privacy, digital reputations, media literacy and ethics.

From the Ypulse Archives:

The Challenge Of Educating Teens (And Parents) About Online Reputation Management
Ypulse Youth Website Profile: Smokescreen
Ypulse Interview: Alice Taylor, 'Smokescreen'
Ypulse Interview: Jason Rzepka, MTV
Please Stop The Sexting Insanity

The fame gamechanger
The death of Michael Jackson this summer brought up a lot of issues around the changing nature of fame and how many more people can achieve it today than in the past. With no monolithic tastemaker like MTV and the intense fragmentation brought on by the internet, YouTube, inexpensive video cameras, etc., anyone and everyone can potentially become famous. In the same way that trends today seem to sprout from nowhere and suddenly be everywhere, we encounter the likes of viral sensations like Soulja Boy… along with a million wannabes. That's the flip side to this democratization of fame — not only does it cheapen the value of the spotlight (even the legitimately famous can't achieve MJ's breed of megafame), but also pushes normal tween/teen fame fantasies into the realm of possibility. Not necessarily a negative for those that embrace a newly available set of self-promotion tools and skills to further themselves in a chosen career, but potentially damaging for those who forego practical planning and hard work for shortcuts to stardom.

From the Ypulse Archives:

'Fame' Remade: Felt Like A Disney Channel Show
Fame 2.0
Who Michael Jackson Was To Today's Tweens
Michael Jackson & The Death Of Mega Fame
The Power Of YouTube: Don't Stop Believin'!

Major mainstream efforts towards diversity (finally!)
Most agreed that the 2009 crop of new images and toys for African American youth from Disney and Mattel among other toy makers were welcome additions… but painfully overdue. This lead to high expectations and a lot of nervous chatter around the final products that would ultimately get put out. In the end, for the two major players (Disney/Mattel) the good outweighed the bad (though the bad certainly didn't go without notice) and both "The Princess and the Frog" and the "So In Style" found varying degrees of box office/retail success with their target demo. That said, audiences, shoppers and critics like ourselves are continuing to be vocal about their new expectations that this increased visibility will continue from hereon out in both the commercial toy market and on screen.

From the Ypulse Archives:

High Hopes, Good Intentions & Black Dolls
Should Toy Makers Break The Mold For Diverse Dolls? [Yes]
'Glee', 'Greek' And How Diversity Plays Into An Ensemble Cast
Princess Like Me: Questions Raised By Disney's 'Princess And The Frog'
YAB Review: 'Princess And The Frog'
The Obama Girls: How A Tween Marketer's Dream Becomes A Nightmare

Obama idealism fades
It's hard to believe this year started off with a tearful Inauguration Day celebrating, among other victories, the close knit emotional connection between young people and their president. These days the confident tagline of "Yes, we can" seems to have morphed into a more defeated sounding question of "What can we do?" Recent Ypulse Research found students increasingly less engaged and less informed generally about the realm of politics, including the hot topic of the day of health care. Some of this can be chalked up to a natural post-election comedown compounded by a grim economic climate that continues to hit young adults harder than the U.S. average, but a lack of engagement from the administration has also played a part. Not that we expected the president himself to keep up the type of attention and social media dynamic he expended on young people during the election, but it's hard not to wonder if the drift would be so severe had there been a more visible effort online or off to help upkeep the way we were.

From the Ypulse Archives:

'Young Invincibles' Need Saving Too
Awareness, Education… Where's The Action?
It's Not Easy Being Green (For Millennials)
A Virtual Peek Into The 80 Million Strong Summit
Ypulse Guest Post: Inaugural Reflections From The Reflecting Pool
Inauguration Coverage: How Tweens, Teens & Twentysomethings Will Watch
How I Watched The Inauguration With Virtually Everyone I Know

Best

Ford. Skeptics argue that Ford has fallen victim to social media snake oil, but the Fiesta Movement has proven that it can get real results from a campaign based on YouTube, search results, and (somewhat) authentic experiences (more results here). I know I speak for a lot of first-time car buyers when I say we are SO SICK of car ads where a sexy woman or rich man get in the car and drive along an oceanside highway, and the announcer tells us every category that the car is #1 in. Instead, Ford tried to make the car more relevant to 18-34s by showing us real-life situations from our peers. I’m a little nervous that Ford says they’re “handing over creative direction for the all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta's advertising and promotion to our fans.” I hope they’re trying to remain authentic, rather than save money and jump on the crowdsourcing bandwagon.

Target. 2009 was full of recession-referencing campaigns, but Target stood out by putting a positive spin on the economic conditions. Their campaign wasn’t particularly youth-focused, but cash-strapped college students could certainly relate to spots like this one, in which sipping coffee or coloring your hair at home were depicted as uplifting and empowering, not a trade-down. While brands like McDonald’s made light of the recession in their ridiculous “coffee bailout” ads, Target acknowledged it while showing us how to make the best of it.

Pepsi. Pepsi started the year incredibly strong with its “Refresh Everything” campaign. First they invited youth to submit their video or text messages to President Obama to be assembled into a book and video for him at his inauguration (view some success stats here). Pepsi really tapped into something that young people cared about and facilitated the message without getting in the way. And I’ve already written about how much I loved their Refresh Everything spot in the Super Bowl. I’m excited to see what 2010 brings for the brand, since they’re rumored to be skipping this year’s Super Bowl in favor of more online efforts.

Worst

Doublemint. I’m sure 2008 was Doublemint’s dream come true when Chris Brown made over their corny jingle into a Top 10 hit. Suddenly millions were reciting their tagline Double your pleasure, double your fun as they sang along to “Forever.” But when Chris Brown’s image came crashing down in February, Doublemint learned the unfortunate downside of forever. Brands always run the risk of spokespeople behaving badly (Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods), but it must especially sting the brand to see Chris seductively placing a stick of gum in his mouth at the beginning of the music video. It goes to show that the more seamlessly a brand is associated with a pop star, the bigger risk you take. What truly lands them on the Worst list is that although they suspended his ads, Doublemint did nothing to make the situation right in terms of donating to a fund for victims of domestic violence.

Skittles. Skittles gave their entire web presence over to fans (reviewed by YAB member Caro) instead of linking to Facebook or featuring a stream of Tweets. Young people already expect brands to be on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (according to Cone Research, 89% of Americans expect brands to engage with their fans in social spaces!). We expect websites to contain static information about products, contests, nutrition, etc. VitaminWater does a much better job of putting product info and relevant links on their website and fun interactive content on Facebook. Additionally, in social spaces, VitaminWater asks questions of their fans and participates in conversation with them, instead of just adding their own stream of consciousness to the mix a la Skittles. If you’re going to place that much importance on your social presences, at least know how to interact in them.

Burger King. Okay, Burger King, we get it: your target is 18-34-year-old men.  But do you really have to alienate women in the process? International missteps this year land BK on the worst list. In Singapore, a horrible ad sells a “Super Seven Incher” with a photo of a blonde bimbo in a, um, suggestive position. As Meredith wrote about earlier this month, in the UK, BK is sponsoring a showercam that has no point beyond giving guys something to ogle in the AM. And Anastasia criticized the brand here in the US for partnering with FOX to mock Jessica Simpson for her weight when she crept up to a size, oh, 6. Burger King, you are quickly creeping into Axe Body Spray territory, and you don’t even sell a cosmetic product.  All this frat boy humor is leaving women saying WTF and taking their boyfriends/husbands to McDonald’s or Subway instead.

About Libby

After growing up on a farm in North Dakota, Libby Issendorf moved to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota. She discovered her passion for brands and media as a member of her school’s first-place National Student Advertising Competition team. After graduation in 2008, she began her career as a media analyst at an ad agency in Minneapolis. Libby now works as a New Media Strategist at an ad agency in Fargo, ND. Outside of work, she loves blogging at Yaybia.com, the Minnesota Twins, being really geeky with her iPhone, and finally living in the same city as her fiance.

For more coverage of youth marketing, check out the Ypulse Youth Marketing Channel sponsored by Youth Marketing Connection.

- Girl gamers revisited (Jezebel offers some fresh insights towards girls and gaming in response to a dated TED talk from Purple Moon founder Brenda Laurel. Plus more buzz around the R-rated red band trailer for "Kick Ass" featuring controversial tween ninja Hit-Girl) (IGN)

- Filmmaker discovered on YouTube (giving hope to aspiring directors everywhere, an early thirtysomething ad exec from Uruguay scores a major movie deal after posting his short alien invasion film) (New York Daily News)

- EDs don't take a holiday (I wish this was posted earlier in the month, but this essay from RED author Meike Schleiff on handing teens and twentysomethings with eating disorders over winter break is a must read. Thanks Melissa!) (Huffington Post)

- America 101 (USC offers foreign students a free, non-credited course in American culture and common slang to help ease the transition. Also a new law in Ohio requires schools to teach dating violence prevention) (Los Angeles Times) (WFMJ)

- iPod Touch scores as stocking stuffer (with a huge surge in Christmas Day downloads thanks to the tween crowd and their parents. Also Ford follows in-car WiFi with the offer of factory-installed HD Radio and iTunes tagging capabilities in some 2011 models) (PC World) (Engadget)

- '3 Ways for Disney to Rock Marvel' (a second wave of speculation now that Marvel shareholders are set to approve the deal this Thursday) (Motley Fool)

- Christmas tree surfing (SoCal teens invent a new seasonal pastime involving discarded trees and cars. Yes, there's already been one injury reported) (Los Angeles Weekly)

- Xeko and Elf Island join forces for good (the eco-toy company and virtual world team up to help tweens connect with nonprofits that deal with real world issues. Thanks KooDooz!)

Best

Motorola Droid. I'm actually typing this up from my droid phone right now. This phone is amazing- it's the first serious competitor to the iPhone, and it shows in its polished interface to the free exclusive turn-by-turn direction app from google. There are so many good things to say about this phone that you really have to see it to believe it.

Zune HD. The neatest little non-iPod around, the Zune HD wowed skeptics with its bright screen, multitouch, built in browser and awesome games. The only thing missing from this thing is a cell phone, but with all this stuff, who needs it?

Rock Band for iPhone/Touch. Full-featured Rock Band for something you probably already own. Me and my Droid are totes jealous.

Worst

Twitter Peek. A dedicated Twitter device. what a great idea! Then you can update your Twitter on the go, just like on your cell…phone… You can obviously see the problem in a device exclusively for Twitter, since you can update it from pretty much anything nowadays. Even us hip social media types don't need something just for twitter.

PSPgo. Great idea, horrible execution. Five steps forward, three steps back, and Sony tripped over the cat walking backward. Surrrre, we'll give you a handheld gaming device with a hard drive, but then we'll give you more or less NO way to play any of your games that you previously bought. Sony was even supposed to have games for the PSP out for download at the same time as retail, and it took them a week and a half to get a AAA-title for download. Shaaaaame.

DSi. There's nothing inherently bad about it, but for all the bells and whistles that Nintendo added, it really doesn't do anything different, there's really no reason to own it. I don't think there are any games to take advantage of the twin cameras, and if there are, there aren't any big titles worth buying. Basically if you own a DS, keep it, unless you really feel like owning the latest handheld. Otherwise, just keep on keepin' on.

About Michael

Michael lives a simple life in Allen Park, MI. When he is not attending Henry Ford Community College for his Associates, he can be seen chatting and socializing around campus and the local coffee shop. He enjoys a good iced caramel cappuccino, or a regular coca-cola. Michael loves what he calls “The Blog Music," and he was and still is raised on a steady diet of electronic music and old-school hip hop. Michael hopes to work for Spin magazine one day, and screams like a little girl every time a new issue comes to the local coffee shop.

2010 Social Media New Year Resolutions

I will not be a Johnny-Come-Lately. I chuckle when a company asks me to help it start a Facebook fanpage or build a Twitter following for a promotion it has starting in three weeks. By the time you realize the need for a social following, it’s too late. Start a genuine dialogue with your customers now to find out who your fans are. You will need them to make anything sticky in the future.

I will lay out a communication plan. With any marketing plan, nearly everything you do should trace back to your main goals. Social media is no different. Ask yourself what you want to achieve with Twitter or Facebook or LinkedIN, and tape the list to your computer monitor. Think big, but start small by coming up with a realistic goal. Before you start a contest, build an app, or update your status, double check to see if what you are doing advances the plan.

I will become a power user. Our friend [and Ypulse Youth Advisory Board Member] Libby Issendorf has challenged us to choose one new social network each month and become a power user, if only for 30 days. Make friends, add content, and experiment with every feature and privacy setting. No making "I don't have time" excuses: A few hours of setup, one hour-long session per week, and a five-minute daily check-in are all you need. You'll learn more about Tumblr, Foursquare, or Farmville than you ever could from a blog post or presentation.

I will practice good netiquette. Remember, social media is not an advertising channel. College kids have moved from being excited about finding their brand favorites on Facebook to “expecting” you to be on Facebook. Your website is probably dead to them unless it really has utility. If that utility can be found on Facebook they will be relieved if they don’t have to click away. Remember, too, that a college kid may be a fan, but you aren’t his friend. Don’t be offended. It’s just the way it is. So, don’t be pushy or interrupt them too much.

I will hold up my end of the bargain. Getting someone to follow you, friend you, or share something about you to their friends is a huge deal. Don’t let that action go to waste. Make interacting with your company through social media worth it for your friends, fans, and followers. You can do this with personal thank you messages, free samples, or by rewarding your best followers with exclusive content before others hear about it.

About Jason

Jason Bakker is the Director of Marketing for Campus Media Group in Minneapolis. For more information on the company, visit www.campusmediagroup.com. You can also follow Jason Bakker on Twitter @jasonbakker.

For more campus coverage, visit the Ypulse Campus Channel.

- 'Jersey Shore' deathwatch continues (with NJ state lawmakers officially asking for MTV to cancel the "wildly offensive" show and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development launching an investigation of possible violations. Plus "American Idol" will continue with or without Simon) (AP) (NJ.com)(MTV News)

- Breaking from brands (In the wake of the economic downturn, urban youth trade status items in for more affordable "cool" stuff. And The New York Times, reg. required, explores the widespread consciousness among teens. Fittingly retail predictions for 2010 point to affordable teen stores and social-media-savvy retailers as the "best-positioned to thrive") (MediaPost, reg. required) (Chicago Tribune) (USA Today)

- 'Domino's cooks up something new (with the launch of the "Pizza Turnaround" campaign — a drastic overhaul of the 50-year-old brand complete with new pizza recipe and a brutally honest narrative on what inspired the reinvention) (MediaPost, reg. required)

- Ant-Man and Iron Fist (are among the relatively unknown Marvel superheroes Disney is looking to develop as the next superhero franchise) (ABC News)

-  'The decade when we became too connected' (features a new moniker, the "Twixter Generation," but recycled arguments — narcissism, insubstantial thinking, lack of culture– against growing up digital. Also Nielsen finds college-educated 18-34 are tuning into radio for close to two hours a day. Seems a little high, no? Take a look at comments for some understandable skepticism) (Canada.com) (MediaPost, reg. required)

- Help Gen Y, help your cause (great post on Huffington Post from Tammy Tibbets on how nonprofits can leverage a team of Gen Y'ers to carry out a prosocial mission. Also WaPo on the generational divide between young women voters and female politicans)

Again, keep in mind that these picks are personal. For a more scientific look at teens and college students' favorite TV shows and media viewing habits, check out the September Ypulse Monitor!

Best: Lauren's Picks

Chuck is saved by fans… and Subway. Every year I am bombarded by petitions to save this show or save that show, but never have I seen the fruits of this labor. Not until our beloved Chuck, the greatest, most unlikely spy to hit the screen since Maxwell Smart, faced the axe that is. The outpour from fans was beyond astounding, it was intelligent and organized. To start, saving Chuck would take more thought than a few hundred names on a list. The network, NBC, needed a legitimate reason to protect their little spy comedy, namely a business reason. Fans organized the “Be A Nerd… Join the Herd” campaign and did everything from flooding NBC with buttons to flooding Subway with comment cards. Eventually, Subway got the message(s) and struck a sponsorship deal with NBC. Thanks to the revolutionary work of fans actually working with the industry for once, we will see more Chuck in 2010!

“Jam” gets married. I may be in the minority here, but I wasn’t expecting a wedding when I tuned in on that random Thursday in October. Television weddings are usually grand events. Often they take place at the start of summer, just as the television season ends. And typically, the episode is a battle of will they or won’t they make it down the aisle and say I do. Jim and Pam had an entirely different affair. The episode had no qualms reiterating that this is "The Office," not "The O.C." The wardrobe department purchased Pam’s dress at David’s Bridal, rather than from Vera Wang. The location was understated and relatively intimate in kitschy Niagara Falls, rather than a 100,000-dollar party on the beach. Perhaps the best thing about the episode is how easily it stays true to form. The first half of the hour is uncomfortably awkward as character after character falls victim to his or her own absurdity, even Jim! The second half of the hour brings the sweetest, most natural runaway wedding for Jim and Pam, and the perfect viral video-inspired dance ceremony for the friends and family. The icing on the wedding cake, however, was Jim’s final line that Plan A would have been to marry Pam the day they met. Awwwwww.

Britain’s Got Talent 2009. Surprise hit Susan Boyle was only one of a vast array of super-talented Brits to step on to the 2009 stage in the hopes of securing a performance for the Queen. Dance troupes Diversity (the actually winner) and Flawless wowed the judges with their inventive choreography. Itty-bitty Hollie Steel nearly got the buzzer as she lamely flitted about the stage in a tutu until she stopped, opened her mouth, and hit us all with a gorgeous operatic soprano. Stavros Flatley, a comedic father-son dance team, made us laugh and stand in awe as they merged Greek satire with Irish dance. I could go on, but I’ll leave you to head over to YouTube where you can see the talent for yourself. Channel name: ‘BritainSoTalented.’ So true.

Best: Alyx's Picks

The CW continues to reign as drama queen. The CW has built a reputation as the go to place for Gen Y girls. Sure, they may not have the ratings as some other channels do, but the amount of press they generate is huge! Shows like ‘Gossip Girl’, ‘Vampire Diaries’, ‘America’s Next Top Model’, ‘90210’, and ‘Melrose Place’ call the network home, and that usually guarantees something to talk about. All of my  female friends watch at least one of these shows, meaning that the CW has to be doing something right to reach girls. In my opinion they are the master of publicity, so good for them.

'Glee' hits a high note. These days, a burst of joy rushes through my system the moment anyone mentions the word 'glee.' FOX’s show, ‘Glee’, is officially a cultural phenomenon. The show itself has become a marketing juggernaut, selling music like crazy on online stores like iTunes and Amazon. What’s even better than the music itself, is that the show is genuinely good! It has become my number one favorite show. And the greatest part? I can watch it with my mom. Not too many of my shows (like "Gossip Girl" and "Vampire Diaries," for example) make for comfortable co-viewing, but this is one that the whole family can enjoy.

Worst: Lauren's Picks

“Sci-Fi” becomes “SyFy.” For sixteen years, the Sci-Fi channel provided the best of science-fiction, fantasy, horror, and all things supernatural. Now, the SyFy channel does exactly the same thing. Why NBC Universal felt it necessary to spend the millions of dollars it takes to rebrand something on the changing of Sci-Fi to SyFy still escapes me. Originally, the rebranding was to draw in viewers who would be normally be uninterested in what Sci-Fi had to offer. Yet, with no change in actual content, those new viewers would simply tune right back out. Finally, it was revealed that the network needed a new term as Sci-Fi had a limited copyright. By creating their own word, the channel can use the term however they choose. However, simply replacing letters shows a lack of creativity and innovation, two traits upon which this network was founded, am I mistaken?

Whedon sabotages Whedon. I knew "Dollhouse" was dead the moment it was announced. After the Buffy debacle, not to mention the Firefly tragedy, and with the knowledge of FOX’s tendency to cancel 90% of the new shows they produce, you would think Joss Whedon would move on to another network… perhaps Syfy? Nope. Instead, Whedon took his new show right back to the same network that seems to revel in his failure. That is why this time I’m not angry at FOX. At least they are consistent. I’m angry at Joss Whedon for getting a great idea, putting pen to paper, casting excellent actors, building sets, rolling tape, and putting all his chips on FOX for the win. Learn your lesson already!

The Jay Leno Show. One of the reasons Chuck almost didn’t make it back on the air was because there was no room for the show. Thanks to Jay Leno and someone’s ridiculous idea to move him from late night to prime time, five hours of prime television real estate were lost. Many shows without the luck of Chuck fell into the abyss created by Jay Leno’s move. The worst part stems from the fact that The Jay Leno Show is not only no different from his stint on The Tonight Show, but all that the show is really bad. In fact, "The Tonight Show, now with Conan O’Brian," is also very unfunny. The NBC Shuffle, as they are calling it, destroyed not only five nights of television, but also a timeless classic (The Tonight Show has been on since 1954), and possibly two comedic careers.

Worst: Alyx's Picks

OMG Overload on The CW? Once again, The CW makes an appearance. So what makes it a "best" and "worst" pick? Like I said, they are publicity geniuses, but what exactly are they publicizing? The press around the CW is always about how racy their ad campaigns are and whether the shows live up to the hype. Are they effective? Yes. But at what price? Girls from their pre-teens to older twenties watch these shows. So the question is—is one ad campaign one size fits all? I don’t think so.

SNL Slump SNL falls flat this year with unexciting hosts and even more snooze worthy skits. Who writes those things? Two out of six skits are chuckle worthy, and even a smaller fraction of them are YouTube-able (as in, worth looking up for a second time and sharing). Nothing this year has even come close to the cultural hit of years past like Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin or Justin Timberlake’s “Dick in a Box” skit. Step it up, SNL!

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.

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.

The Best

Designers go mass market. Take the artistry of a pricy fashion designer and add the marketing and price tag of an affordable company and the result is a brilliant collaboration. As fashion designers pair up with Target, H&M, JC Penney’s and more, it seems this is becoming an increasingly popular strategy. The key selling point? As Meredith mentioned in her earlier YIR post, the combination of trendy styles and affordable cost make this trend pretty much recession-proof by offering teens and college students the chance to have their taste of the fashion world — from Rodarte for Target to Sonia Rykiel for H&M — without going broke. With more retailers integrating these collaborations into their DNA, like with Target’s GO International program, young shoppers are beginning to expect to pay under $50-$100 and look like they paid hundreds of dollars for an outfit! No complaints here.

[More] motorcycle jackets. A classic trend that can apply to ladies and gents, this article of clothing can be paired with just about anything. No wonder it was repeat pick from last year. If you want to toughen up a girly dress or look sleek with your usual jeans and a hoodie, a leather jacket can just do the trick. Comfy and perfect for the colder seasons of the year, you don’t have to have to worry about looking horrible while freezing to death.

The Classics. Oxford blouses and blazers are not just for the adults anymore. As of this year, there has been an increase in interest from Gen Y. I’m not sure if it is just for the need to look casually professional, loving the geek-chic trend or if it is a newfound love, but I am glad that Gen Y is leaning towards modesty (let’s hope that’s the last of hooker heels!). You can pass this for both dressy and casual, which gives this trend a hundred points for versatility. This could be the trend that can bring both the minimalist and extravagant together.

Street Style. It is not what you might think. The street style I'm talking about is literally inspiration drawn from random people on the street. Probably the most well known example is The Sartorialist (more on that below), a world-renowned fashion blog simply made up of random pictures of unknown (and occasionally well known) people on the street. The idea being to give those so inclined (stylish voyeurs) a look at how other regular people from around the world apply style into their everyday outfits. I personally love how something so simple can wind up creating such a phenomenon. Not to mention a fun resource for stylish ideas.

Fashion blogs. With the downfall of traditional fashion magazines, many young adults have been looking for another source to get their style fix. Enter fashion blogs! As a free and eco-friendly alternative, it’s a no-brainer why they've become so popular. Instead of a trip to the newsstand or waiting by the mailbox, your nearest fashion blog is just a few clicks away. Plus, who wants to wait until next month's issue when the majority of the fashion blogs are updated a few times per few day. The few blogs that have been catching the most attention are Style Rookie (Tween fashion icon Tavi Gevinson, anyone?) , The Sartorialist (mentioned above,) , CocoPerez (by Perez Hilton) and Sea of Shoes. Like other crowdsourced reviews, these voices are becoming an increasingly strong influence on the fashion world. As you may have heard, Tavi Gevinson, creator of Style Rookie, was drawing much publicity for her quick wit and sharp eye, she was named muse for Rodarte’s collaboration line with Target. Not too shabby for a style rookie after all!

The Worst

Anything Ed Hardy. When I mean anything, I truly mean A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G that has to do with the super tacky, overrated and Jon Gosselin-contaminated brand Ed Hardy. The range of clothing and accessories, including the H1N1-conscious hand sanitizer, are way overpriced and they all look like a piece of trash. Each item, even the “modest” ones, look like a trip to the tattoo parlor gone wrong. Look at the design pictured here. Um, it’s a sword stabbing through the floating head of a cat (I think) with wings that appear to somehow have skulls on each side, while a parade of flowers swirl underneath? Don’t tell me that is not freaky.

Leggings [still] worn as pants. A crime that many girls continue to be guilty of and yet can’t seem to stop. Leggings are meant for tunics, dresses, skirts or shorts. Even if they are the “jean” leggings with fabric meant to look like denim, the same rule applies. Hopefully this trend will die down soon.

Real Fur. I have to admit as an animal lover I'm a little biased here. But can we agree that this is just not cool anymore and send that message to style icons like Kate Moss? I mean, I get why that type of overindulgent glamour might have worked on red carpets in the past, but in today's eco-conscious climate, you'd think stars would  think twice before resorting to slaughtering innocent (sometimes endangered) animals for a certain look. Not to mention that said look usually resembles Sasquatch, or some other mythical snow creature. My suggestion? If these stars really truly like the look of this season's fur vests and coats, the best bet is just to go with faux.

Harem Pants. Maybe a lot of fashion designers are running out of original ideas and looking towards the recent past. I don’t know, but I do know that this is just ugly. I cannot imagine any occasion where these pants fit the dress code, or would be accepted as being attractive… unless you are dressing up like MC Hammer for Halloween. Bottom line: if you don’t live in a genie lamp, then you shouldn’t be giving thought to wearing harem pants.

Intense shoulder pads. Yes, it’s nice to give structure to your silhouette, but that doesn’t mean that you have to wear a decade's worth of shoulder pads on your shoulders. It makes shoulders look too broad (I've seen some poor girls that even resemble hunchbacks!) and it makes most heads look ridiculously small in comparison to the massive load of foam on each side. If you want better posture… stand straight and try your best not to slouch.

Snuggies. WHY? I really don’t know what to say, I just want to know what the creator was thinking when he/she came up with this idea. As we've learned from countless infomercials and viral inspired spin offs (including one from Weezer), it's supposed to be perfect for cold movie theatres and sporting events. You know… like a sweater or a coat. I'm just surprised Ed Hardy didn’t jump on this wagon, because he had to do that with everything else. For now, I guess Jon Gosselin will just have to settle for Royal Blue, Burgundy or Sage green.

About Amanda

Being a true believer in the Socratic Method (no, seriously) and a 16 year-old high school junior living in London, Ontario, Canada, Amanda believes that asking questions might just get her somewhere. Even when it comes to finding her way out of the superficial labyrinth that is known as school, she is not one who refrains from a challenge. Reading novels and asking questions are what satisfies her need to learn, and to get insight on different cultures (and pop culture!), languages (she hopes to be fluent in seven… good luck with that) to International Law/Social Justice and trends. Though she has many interests, she insists that music, hiding in the library at lunch time, volunteering, being a member of Junior Achievement, making insanely bad jokes, and wishing at 11:11 to be the "few" staples she can always rely on. Another passion of hers? Writing- whether it is songs, poetry or stories, which is why Amanda is so excited to be a member of the YAB for Ypulse. Maybe asking questions might just get her somewhere after all?

- 'Three Screen Nation' (AOL teen study takes a quick look at the wired life of Gen Y. Also Ford puts the highway in information highway … making cars wi fi accessible to target millennials. A little disconcerting given the whole ongoing fight against distracted driving) (Wired)

-YouTube music video battle (if you didn't catch this segment on The Rachel Maddow Show featuring the most amazing high school rivalry ever, watch it now. You won't be disappointed. Also Warner Music inks a deal with Hulu to show music videos, artist interviews, concert footage and behind-the-scenes moments. So then … does this make Hulu the new Vevo?) (Mashable)

- 'Three books for the smartest teen you know' (NPR spotlights some nice non-YA novels featuring young protagonists. Last minute gift idea? Plus Putnam Books for Young Readers president and publisher Nancy Paulsen is launching an eponymous imprint) (Publisher's Weekly)

- Pot psychology (from the department of no duh — a study finds teens who frequently listen to music that contains references to marijuana are more likely to use the drug. Plus in response to the wave of recent studies on psychological impact of casual sex BoingBoing talks to experts in teen sex education) (Science Daily)

- Gen Y Entrepreneurs (another installment on recent grads inspired by the dried up job market to start their own companies. And on the flipside – the depressed youth job market affects retailers. On the bright side for the future – a recent study shows a rise in good saving habits in young adults) (WSJ) (Reuters) (New York Times, reg. required)

- 'Kick Ass' trailer (the comic book adaptation catches heat from BoingBoing commenters against the combo of kids and violence. Also rumor spreads that Peter Jackson will adapt Philip Reeve's steampunk "Mortal Engines" series) (BoingBoing) (Cinematical via Kids Lit)

P.S. Happy holidays everyone – we'll be back on Monday!