Ypulse Essentials: Lady Gaga Launches A Born This Way Foundation, 'Breaking Dawn' Takeover At Target, Millennials & Communication

It’s no question that Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ has been one of the top songs of the generation, having an enormous impact on Millennials (and now thanks to Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, which will launches February 29, her message can go even further. The organization aims to address issues including self-confidence, anti-bullying, and career development, and will kickoff with a launch party at Harvard University. Now sing it with us — “I’m on the right track baby I was born this way hey!” And because of Gaga’s strong commitment to the LGBT community, she’s also been nominated for a GLAAD Award, as have numerous other celebrities and media, including some of our favorite shows: “Glee,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “Modern Family,” and “Degrassi”) (HuffPo) (MTV)

- We imagine Twihards of all ages will be flocking to Target stores nationwide on February 10th (when the retailer hosts a special DVD release party for the latest film in the franchise, “Breaking Dawn: Part 1.” Besides getting to buy the DVD the second it hits shelves, fans will see the world premiere of a scene from the final film, “Breaking Dawn: Part 2,” in stores that night. And if you’re starting to get sad that the movies are coming to an end, fear not. Nothing is official yet, but rumor has it that there may be more to the series… After all, vampires have long lives) (Entertainment Weekly) (E! Online)

- Understanding how teens communicate is at the core of marketing to them (and recent research from Ericsson ConsumerLab reveals valuable information for brands and marketers alike. From teens’ preferred method of communication — which is hanging out in person above interacting via mobile devices or online — to how technology plays into their dating lives, here are seven fun facts you don’t want to miss. Speaking of engaging Millennials, ComScore data show that Gen Y doesn’t respond to TV ads as well as older audiences, but they remember them longer. However, young audiences are more responsive to interactive media such as a program or website, which isn’t surprising since they get to be more involved) (PR Daily) (AdAge)

- The online music space is poppin’ (according to this infographic. Listeners streamed nearly 65 billion songs in 2011, watched more than 16 billion videos, and connected with artists on Facebook more than 3 billion times. That’s a lot of love for music! Speaking of attention-grabbing music videos, we enjoyed seeing Matthew McConaughey reprise his role as Wooderson from “Dazed & Confused” in this Butch Walker video) (ReadWriteWeb) (Popdust)

- We, along with most of the Web, can’t keep quiet whenever more ‘Hunger Games’ content is released (and this time is no exception; just look at the latest and last poster for the film showing off a fierce Katniss aiming her bow and arrow! And if that doesn’t catch your eye, there’s also a new promo picture of Katniss and Peeta in their opening ceremony costumes. Luckily we don’t have much longer to wait) (Celebuzz) (Collider)

- There’s no stopping Android! (The latest earnings reveal that 250 million Android devices have been activated so far, and 11 billion apps have been downloaded. With this much growth, we must admit that we’re impressed) (TechCrunch)

- The topic of Millennials in the workplace is everywhere these days (but given that in four years Millennials will make up about half of employees worldwide, there’s a lot to discuss. While young hires and older employees often encounter generational gaps, many of the stereotypes — such as Millennials’ reliance on and obsession with technology —  are over-exaggerated. And as Business Insider explains, entering the workforce during the recession has also impacted how Millennials view their jobs. They’re less loyal to a single company and want answers and access immediately, but they value hard work, enjoy being part of a team, and believe that luck plays into success) (Forbes)

- Action sports fans, rejoice! (YouTube has just launched several channels focusing on everything from skateboarding to urban mountain biking, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, and BMX. We bet Millennial action sports fans will be excited about these four new shows, which feature popular athletes Tony Hawk, Ryan Sheckler, and Jamie Thomas) (SocialTimes)

- Instead of our usual Friday fun, here’s an inspirational story/video we couldn’t pass up sharing… (Samantha Garvey, a smart and motivated teen, has achieved huge academic accomplishments including being a semi-finalist in the annual Intel Science Talent Search, all the while facing the challenge of being homeless. Yet Samantha maintains a positive attitude and has always made education a priority. She’s one Millennial you’ll want to keep watching!) (YouTube)