Movies

Lifeline Quote of the Day: "Sanuk and Justin's Nut Butter are two of my favorite advertisers. They are non-intrusive, witty, down-to-earth, and engage customers in contests and conversations." -Female, 22, MD

Millennials are pop-star obsessed. The success of pop idols in 2013 like Beyonce, JT, 1D, TSwift, Rihanna, and more is “inextricably linked” with their media saturation, each one is involved in cultivating their identity for social media consumption. Movie stars are virtually nonexistent on social media, and by definition of their jobs “rarely themselves,” failing to provide fans with the authentic, insta-coverage they desire. (Vulture)

11% of American children ages 4 to 17 have ADHD, diagnosed with symptoms like “difficulty remaining focused” and “often fidgets.” In this over-protective society, medical officials are quick to prescribe stimulants, yet overprescribing is a gateway to substance abuse and dependence. This medicine-heavy approach promotes pills instead of teaching children “vital coping skills to manage their behavior.” (WSJ)

Foursquare has made time travel possible, if only in the virtual sense, by illustrating user check-ins as colorful interactive maps. Their “Time Machine” feature turns basic locations' statuses into a visually stimulating experience, with music and flying saucer transitions. The infographics can of course be easily be shared, because a visual mapping of your social life is only worthwhile if you can broadcast it to friends. (DVICE)

Teens on the hunt for employment are in a tough spot, “competing with three or four generations for the same jobs.” Job seekers in today’s market outnumber available positions by more than 10 times, but teens have positive traits to offer, with flexible schedules and lower pay expectations compared to older competitors. (Fay Observer)

We've talked about the visualization of communication for Millennials and predicted that services like Instagram might need to add moving image to keep up. Now there is speculation that an upcoming Facebook event will reveal a Vine-like application using Instagram, with capabilities for users to create videos that are 5-10 seconds long. (UPROXX)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: "You can be famous for almost anything, just depends on your definition of 'fame.'" –Female, 28, MO

Changes in the digital space have opened up new jobs that did not exist ten years ago: meet the Community Manager. CM’s are “the social voice of a brand,” solely responsible for creating and implementing social media strategies, and Millennials are filling many of these positions. Brands are taking a risk by entrusting young employees with their entire social media presence, but Gen Y has the advantage, versed in technology and innately comfortable online. (Forbes)

In the war between old media and new media, new media is winning on the share front. According to Scanvine, which measures how often online stories are shared, BuzzFeed is the most shared internet news source, with an average of over 3,000 shares per story. (TechCrunch)

New startups see great potential in Millennials as the next generation of winos. Uproot Wines targets the affluent segment of Gen Y with minimalist labeling that graphically represents flavor notes and original blends in limited quantities. Meanwhile Club W sources lower-priced wines using big data to appeal to the “Palate Profile” of Gen Ys who “simply can’t afford to buy luxury wine today.” (Upstart)

Gen Y is now the largest workforce generation, outnumbering Baby Boomers at 80 million people, and they are pushing for a workplace evolution. 88% of Millennials want a fun, social work environment and 71% want their co-workers to be a second family. Instead of the 9 to 5 grind, young adults see Work at Home Fridays, virtual meetings, and a strong work-life balance as the keys to success. (Business Insider)

"Burberry Kisses," a project launched with Google, combines technology and emotion, allowing users to send virtual kisses around the world by literally kissing their touchscreens and following the “kiss envelope” to its destination via Google Earth. (WWD)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “I don't really think there are any brands that do too great of a job advertising to people my age. Too many seem to try too hard; either offending some folks for the shock value or being so tame that their advertising is completely lame.” –Male, 26, WI

Millennial drivers use mobile phones 2.5 times more than non-Millennials when car shopping, and auto brands are turning to digital, social media, and car-sharing to lure them in. Ford’s partnership with Zipcar on college campuses has helped the brand gain a 2% market share in this segment. (eMarketer)

Are Millennial women redefining ambition in the workplace? Only 15% of Millennial women want to be the leader of a prominent organization or start-up, with 71% gearing their ambitions elsewhere; and road blocks like the inability to balance a career with parenting lead nine in ten Millennial women to agree that female leaders have to make more sacrifices than their male counterparts. (TechJournal)

We recently explored the escapist nature of festival culture, and it turns out only 45% of people are attending music festivals for the music. More than half look to festivals as an “escape from everyday life,” and festivals are offering an outlet for exhibitionism with 47% of those polled admitting to doing something at a music festival they would never do elsewhere, like sleep with a stranger or take drugs. (UPROXX)

Millennial drivers use mobile phones 2.5 times more than non-Millennials when car shopping, and auto brands are turning to digital, social media, and car-sharing to lure them in. Ford’s partnership with Zipcar on college campuses has helped the brand gain a 2% market share in this segment. (eMarketer)

A look at Millennials’ favorite apps might surprise you. Compared with the rest of mobile users, 25-34 year olds actually use mobile games less, especially compared to middle-aged Gen Xers. (TechCrunch) 

Gen Y loves the creative entrepreneurial spirit, and Vitaminwater is hoping to tap into that collective interest with their #Shinebright campaign, which will choose six aspiring teen creatives and not just feature them, but provide each with a prominent mentor in the world of fashion, music, design or media. (Popsop)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “My generation has learned that global warming is something to be dealt with, peoples’ rights are more important than they might even seem initially, and our government needs revision.” -Male, 20, CA

Our May Teen Mag Roundup and November interview let you know that teen singer Austin Mahone was one to watch, and it looks like his popularity is already growing. Fans swarmed Mahone’s recent Today performance, and his debut album isn’t set to come out until the fall. (Today)

Smosh TV is the YouTube channel with the largest number of subscribers, and their recent launch Shut Up Cartoons is one of the more successful funded channels, with 1 million subscribers. Pushing huge amounts of content is one of their keys to reaching the youth audience. (AdWeek)

Entertainment brands take note: it’s really time to start paying attention to the female gamer. According to a new study, nearly 50% of gamers are female, and other recent research found that 70% of women 12-24-years-old play video games in some form. (Jezebel)

We have theorized that post-Millennials will grow up to be adept coders, and they’re already making headlines for it. First-grader Zora Ball has become the youngest person ever to create a mobile app video game. (PhillyTrib)

Myspace might not be the youth culture hub it once was, but it’s working to change all that— and wants everyone to pay attention. The social networking site is devoting $20 million in marketing to promoting their relaunch in an effort to rebuild and recool their image. (Mashable)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “My generation has learned that regulation is important, and the people who can influence the market need to have a higher accountability. Greed of a few essentially has impacted everyone.” –Male, 24, WI

Though digital interaction is the key in targeting Millennials, other mediums need to be taken into account as well. This "Marketer's Guide To Reaching Millennials" instructs readers to think of Gen Y “more in terms of a symphonic orchestra,” and notes the complexities of marketing to a group that is more likely to respond to endorsements from Jimmy Kimmel and Steven Colbert over more glamourous celebrities. (Adweek)

One third of voters in the 2016 presidential election will be comprised of Gen Y, yet distrust of the government throughout the generation is high due to lack of transparency. Only 26% of Millennials say they can trust the government “always” or “most of the time,” a stark difference from 44% in 2004. (Policymic)

Gay male Millennials might be coming out in a more accepting and culturally transparent society, but they still have stereotypes to deal with. The stereotype of being a "Gay Best Friend" to a straight girl is being humorously explored in the new film G.B.F., which finds a tongue-in-cheek way to show how young gay people can be objectified. (Viacom)

Food & Wine is taking a risk in marketing this year’s Food & Wine classic in Aspen, enlisting not food bloggers, but interior and design bloggers and photographers to cover the event. These creative minds will contribute to the magazine’s Tumblr page, documenting the event from a unique point of view. (Adweek)

Millennials are obsessed with content, a fact illustrated by the immense popularity of BuzzFeed. Now, new blog Elite Daily is finding success by being a content-heavy hub, posting massive amounts of stories straight from the minds of Gen Y, with pieces cultivated by the editors from 250 unpaid contributors. (TechCrunch)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “Unfortunately, it seems that my generation has become almost victims of this recession. In some cases, we were kids when everything first started and then we started hearing the phrase, ‘Sorry honey we don’t have money for that today’ more and more. Teens are less likely to get their drivers licenses because they know they can’t get a car. Some are being forced to support the family because their family can't pay the bills.” –Female, 16, CA

We gave you a debriefing on next-gen console Xbox One’s launch, and at the beginning of E3 yesterday both Xbox and PlayStation revealed more new information about their upcoming products, which will go head-to-head in sales at the holidays. The debate on which console will be triumphant is already raging. (The Atlantic Wire)

It’s often said that young Millennials and the next generation are more comfortable playing with digital devices than anything else, but that doesn’t mean that low-tech toys have disappeared. Melissa & Doug toys, which makes classic toys like play kitchens and wooden blocks, has seen their business grow by double digits every year, with no touch screens and no tie-ins. (NYTimes)

The validity of the cord-cutting movement may still be questioned by some, but it’s clear that Millennials are continuing to change the entertainment arena. Participant Media’s recent study found that cord-cutting and demand for TV everywhere are still on the rise, with 86% of 18-34-year-old respondents wanting live streaming TV everywhere. (Deadline)

The value of college is being questioned by some Millennials, and now a new study has found that they may feel the future of education is virtual. 50% of students surveyed believe they don’t need a physical classroom to learn, and 53% say they believe that online colleges are reputable. (Forbes) 

The streaming wars are heating up, again. In order to adjust to Gen Y’s ever-shifting music-listening preferences, Apple has announced that they are launching iTunes Radio this fall, an ad-supported streaming service that will compete with Spotify, Pandora, Songza, and Google. (MediaPost)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “My generation has learned that less sharing on the internet is not such a bad idea.” –Female, 26, NJ

Restaurant visits among Millennials have fallen 16% over the last four years, a pattern that unsurprisingly does not match up with their own parent’s behaviors at the same age. Between a lack of funds, and an increase in options like food trucks and local foods, restaurant chains are struggling to pull in the consumer group. (NYTimes)

Amazon is “killing it” with U.K. Millennials, beating out Facebook, YouTube, and Apple as “most liked” tech brand amongst 16-34-year-olds according to a recent study from w00t! media. (Business2Community)

Upworthy is a site and newsletter that shares social impact stories, and in the last year they have become the fastest growing site ever, with 10 million unique visitors daily, all by using emotional data to drive views. (FastCompany)

Social TV is a growing space, and while not all viewers are ready to participate, its use is steadily increasing and reality TV programs are currently the most likely to spur social engagement. (Adweek)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “I have been looking for a job for two years now and I do not feel that having an Associate's, Bachelors, and soon Master's will have helped me. All jobs want these days is experience, which I can’t get until I can get a job.” –Female, 25, NH

Facebook’s popular tagging feature has been added to Instagram, amplifying potential exposure for brands through increased links and mentions. Since 70% of people trust brand recommendations from their friends, it might be important for brands to start playing tag with their consumers. (MediaPost)

We’ve told you about Businessweek’s “Gets You Ahead” campaign, which attempts to gain new subscribers by shaming Millennials for living at home and suggesting a subscription will get them out of mom and dad’s basement. But Millennials aren’t laughing, and strategists see this as a misstep by mocking Gen Y in tough economic times. (Adweek)

Texting while driving is a major cause of teenage fatalities in America and 40% of teens have felt the danger of driving with peers who are unable to disconnect. DoSomething.org is encouraging a call to action with Thumb Wars, a promotion to start the conversation between teens and their friends and family by giving out “anti-texting thumb socks.” (DoSomething.org)

Millennial workers are being made fun of again, this time courtesy of Official Comedy’s ‘80s style “educational video” on dealing with them in the workplace. Lessons involve never scheduling Gen Ys before10:30am and allowing them to skip work for a variety of obscure reasons. (Laughing Squid)

Millennials perceive email as almost outdated, yet 84% of retailers are investing in targeted email programs and only 28% are looking to data to improve website performance, with fewer than half collecting social network stats. (Digiday)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “Start investing in your future now, because you never know when the world will fall to its knees.” –Female, 23, Louisiana

Whole Foods is taking a repositioning risk with new pilot stores featuring lower priced goods. The brand’s new focus could align with Millennials, who favor the organic and local food chain yet need affordable options in the current state of the economy. (AdWeek)

Kids of the ‘90s rejoice! The beloved digital keychain pet Tamagotchi is making a comeback thanks to a new app. Tamagotchi L.i.f.e. has been downloaded 2.5 million times in three months, and more versions of the app are in the works. (Kidscreen)

Can big data save the education system? Junyo is an education start-up headed by Zynga co-founder Steve Schoettler that is aiming to use data to help education publishers understand the specific needs of individual schools. (Gigaom)

A survey of Millennials around the world reveals commonalities amongst the generation globally: they are eco-friendly, more tech minded than ever, generally optimistic, and value education. However, Latin American Millennials are far more optimistic about their nations' future, and more likely to think they can make a difference in the world. (ABC News)

Crowdfunding continues to grow as a viable source of capital for young consumers, and brands are finding ways to tap into the trend. Microsoft’s new back-to-school pilot project, “Chip In,” helps students purchase laptops by leveraging help from family and friends, providing laptops to students in need and promoting Microsoft’s Windows 8 simultaneously. (TechCrunch)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “Older generations have screwed us over, and the only solution will be us taking the helm and throwing the corrupt out.” –Male, 22, IL

Twitter’s Vine, which has amassed 13 million iPhone users since January, has finally been released for Android phones. Adoption of the app, already popular among Gen Y, will be closely watched with high expectations for a spike in new users. (TechCrunch)

Millennials are stressed out and digitally overloaded. They are looking for relationships with brands that they can count on, and for them a long-term relationship with a brand depends on what experiences the brand can create for them. (Forbes)

Millennial opinions of Republicans are low, and a recent study reveals some ways the party might adjust to capture younger members: by focusing on their libertarian leanings and leaving gay marriage out of discussions. 82% of young voters surveyed say they are ready to “make tough choices about cutting government spending.” (The Daily Beast)

Parents might be shocked at just what their kids are doing online. In a new study from McAfee titled “Digital Deceptions,” 86% of Millennials age 10-23 admitted they have engaged in online behaviors that would not meet parent approval, and 69% say they take measures to hide their online behavior from parents. (MediaPost)

Popular young adult author Sarah Dessen has been writing in the category for 20 years. In this interview following the release of her 11th novel, she sheds light on changes in the YA fiction category, and says that young adult readers today are not jaded, passionate, and influencing better quality novels. (The Atlantic Wire)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “My generation has learned that that swag won't pay the bills.” –Male, 19, IN

Young startup Dollar Shave Club got a lot of attention, and business, from their hilarious, weird, slightly NSFW introduction video. Now they’re back and entering an unexpected new product arena—we’ll let you watch to find out exactly what they’re selling— with an equally funny and bizarre spot. (Mashable)

A survey of over 2,000 20-25-year-old marketing students in Europe suggests that Millennials don’t feel they are digital natives, but instead see the next generation as the ones who truly fit that definition. Here at Ypulse we refer to Millennials as first-generation digital: the first to arrive on the scene, but still with memories of the old world. (PR News Wire)

Gen Y’s media behavior is flummoxing to many traditional outlets. This interview with CNN’s Jeff Zucker and Aereo’s Barry Diller gives an interesting look at how both old and new media are looking to capture the cord-cutting demo. (All Things D)

MTV’s Tr3s network delved into the differences between Hispanic Millennials and non-Hispanic Millennials when it comes to gaming.For young Hispanic consumers, gaming purchases are a family decision, likely because they are more apt to game as a group than individually. (Blog.Viacom)

Heineken is tapping into the Millennial desires for both experiences and quasi-danger in their new “Dropped” campaign. In an effort to target adventure-seeking young men, the brand will take guys from around the world and drop them into remote global locations to find their ways home. Their adventures will be aired in online episodes. (MediaPost)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “I came to graduate school hearing the promise that more than 90% of the program's graduates can find jobs by graduation, and fewer than 40% of my class was able to secure a position. It seems like most employers want someone with less education than me, because then they can rationalize paying them less.” –Female, 26, PA

There's a new term to use when talking about young consumers' addiction to their smartphones. “Nomophobia” is fear of not having a mobile phone, and the affliction is hitting record numbers amongst Gen Ys in Australia. (The Australian)

Millennials might feel close to their Boomer parents, but they’ve come to expect a certain amount of distain for their generation coming from Boomers overall. This collection of headlines shows Boomers blaming Millennials for potentially killing courtship, the housing market, and the N.F.L. (NYTimes) 

Just how do things go viral on Pinterest? Brands engaging with the visual network might be interested to know that the most repinned images are those that feature multiple colors or are rich in detail, and that red images get repinned more than blue. (MediaPost) 

Millennials have different expectations when it comes to travelling, including the ability to be constantly digitally connected while at their hotels. Marriot is introducing a new hotel chain for Millennials in the U.S. that emphasize cutting edge tech and more modern design. (Brand Channel)

The obesity epidemic amongst young Americans gets a lot of attention and ink, but it could be that the tide is turning. A recent study revealed that kids are eating far fewer sugary drinks and snacks than they did 15 years ago. Soda, sugary cereals, and fruit drinks have especially seen drops in consumption. (USA Today)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “My generation has learned that life in a recession isn't really all that bad when you step back and look at the whole picture. Just live within your means, and be content.”- Male, 23 GA

Ypulse is excited to announce that Randi Zuckerberg, Founder and Creative Director of Zuckerberg Media, will be joining us as the closing keynote speaker at our Mashup event! Today is the last day for early bird pricing on registration for Ypulse’s Naming the Next Generation (6/26) and Mashup: Millennials Reassessed (6/27). (Ypulse Events)

20% of Millennials drink mixed drinks or hard alcohol weekly, and spirits brands are starting to pay attention to the generation. Bacardi is targeting Millennials by celebrating their Cuban roots and giving a taste of their brand history. (DMNews)

Tumblr has introduced sponsored content to user dashboards on the web, a month after adding the same advertisements to their mobile app. Initial reaction from the largely teenage user base is not positive. (TechCrunch)

In the era of 16 and Pregnant, many expected teen girls to be influenced to become teen moms, but in fact the teen birth rate reached a record low in 2011. Differences in generational attitudes toward teen pregnancy could be behind the falling rates. (Pew Research)

Pepsi Co. is focusing on social sharing this season with their Iconic Summer campaign, which encourages fans to share their summer moments. For every photo shared, participants are entered to win prizes and a donation is made by Pepsi to help military families in need. (Popsop)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “My generation has learned that you should ALWAYS be thinking about the future, in terms of investments and IRAs, but also in terms of certifications and education and ways that you can better yourself.” –Female, 22, NY

“Samsies,” a comedy sketch has gone viral receiving over 500,000 views on YouTube in just two days and garnering a lot of attention on Reddit. The sketch tackles the topic of gay marriage in an unexpected way, by showing cavemen arguing about why they can’t do “samesies” anymore. (Huffington Post)

Millennials may be eager to enter the workplace, but they have a lot of negative stereotypes they need to get past first. This infographic lays out just how differently Millennials see themselves compared to how the average HR professional sees them. Just one example: 82% of Millennials say they are loyal to employers, while just 1% of HR would describe them as such. (Philly.com) 

Speaking of Millennial workplace stereotypes, a study has shown that employers are not choosing applicants because of their social media behavior. One in ten 16-34-year-olds have been rejected from jobs because of photos or comments on social networks. (CNet)

Sales are down at many of the major retail chains targeting teens, and Aeropostale, Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch have landed on the list of brands that teens say they no longer wear. (CNBC)

Amazon is making moves forward in the non-network original arena, planning for five original series in the next year, their biggest offering to date. Three of the five shows will be for kids, including an animated adventure series called Creative Galaxy. (CNBC)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “My generation should not be quite as concerned with early-on achievement as we have been told to be. Becoming CEO of Goldman Sachs at 25 is not only not realistic but also an unhealthy outlook” –Male, 24, TN

We’ve talked about the appeal of the GIF and its rise as a communication form for Millennials, so it only makes sense that as GIFs are increasingly used, the generation would begin to need tools to more easily find them. Giphy is a GIF search engine that is aggregating GIFs and aims to give credit to their creators. (Uproxx)

Tween girls are (not surprisingly) highly susceptible to mobile marketing. According to a recent study by mobile ad agency MobiGirl Media, 65% of girls ages 6-16 said they are likely to buy products and services straight from mobile ads if there is a means to do so. (MediaPost)

We recently gave a Millennial’s point of view on the appeal of extreme events like Tough Mudder, and apparently these endurance activities are appealing to advertisers as well. “Mudvertising” is the new term being given to campaigns involving these events, and big brands are diving into the movement. (AdWeek)

Wearable tech is a young and growing category, but experts predict that it could change the way we interact with the world. Here are eight ways it could change everything, including unlocking big data and creating customizable fashion. (Mashable)

Money clips and wallets might be headed for the museum sooner than previously predicted. A recent global study found that 83% of consumers don’t want to carry a wallet and prefer digital payments, and 68% of U.S. respondents report having been unable to buy something because they were not carrying cash. (Mobile Payments Today)

Each year, 24/7 Wall St. predicts 10 brands sold in America that will die out within a year. This year’s picks for brand death row reflect the changing tides in both publishing and the auto industry, slating Martha Stewart Living and Volvo for extinction. (AdWeek)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “My generation has learned that it doesn't matter where you go for college or what you studied. Getting a job is about who you know, and even then having a job is not as great as you might think it is. Because of the recession, companies bully you, work you hard, and don't pay you well since there are a bunch of other people who they can just fill your position with.” –Female, 24, NY

Old Economy Steve is a new meme that encapsulates Gen Y’s attitudes towards the comparison of their generation to others, and also showcases how they approach so many things that are difficult—by turning it into a communal joke. The meme consists of a picture of a guy from the ‘70s paired with embittered text like, “Types with 1 finger...makes 6 figures.” (The Atlantic)

Crowdfunding is a game-changing peer-to-peer trend, but unlike other internet innovations, until now it has only been available to the over 14 set. Piggybackr is a crowdfunding site for kids that requires the approval of a guardian and teaches children how to crowdfund a project, equipping the next generation for a future of P2P business. (Springwise)

Buzzfeed, CNN and YouTube are partnering up for a video news channel targeting young adults. The channel is the latest in Buzzfeed’s efforts to become the go-to news source for 18-34-year-olds and will be CNN’s attempt to stay relevant to younger audiences. (WSJ)

FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out, is a Millennial affliction born out of their constant tech connection and exposure to information on what their friends are doing at every given moment. College Humor has dramatized the modern fear with FOMO The Movie: a fake movie trailer starring Anna Camp living through the horror of spending Saturday night alone…while everyone hangs out without her. (Mashable)

Lifeline Quote of the Day: “Everyone has a college degree these days, so it's not that  special anymore.” –Male, 17, VA

TV networks are attempting to reinvent themselves for Millennials, and Discovery is taking their efforts online with TestTube: their recently launched ad-supported video network aimed at Millennial guys. TestTube will feature original content with shows like “Blow It Up” and “Nature Hates You.” (AdWeek)

Our Mashup speaker Q&A yesterday mentioned how Gen Y is disrupting the auto market. Toyota is hoping to sell cars in a way that appeals to the generation with their Collaborator app, which adds social elements like virtual test-drives with friends and crowdsourced car design to choosing a vehicle. (Popsop)

Is the future of TV marketing on Twitter? Twitter is partnering with networks like A&E and MLB for their new Amplify program, which will send extra clips and other themed content to users who are watching shows live. (The Verge)