Ypulse Essentials: Millennials Are Major Impulse Shoppers, E! Gets A ‘Pop Of Culture,’ 60% Of Parents Snoop On Their Teens’ Facebook Accounts

Millennials are more likely than any other generation to make impulse purchases (despite the fact that so many are unemployed and bogged down with student debt. They usually make unplanned purchases when they see a sale or promotion, yet this may be because 80% of Millennials believe it’s important to get the lowest price on most things they buy. Speaking of saving, Gap, Sephora, and H&M are letting Facebook users give their friends free gift certificates as long as they’re in the brand’s target demographic, which means that loyal customers are doing the advertising by sharing offers with their friends. In other — somewhat surprising — fashion news, Nick Wooster, a former men’s fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, has been named the Creative Director for JCPenneyas part of the company’s rebranding efforts) (Time) (MarketWatch) (Mashable) (Hypebeast)

- E! Entertainment is taking a stab at scripted shows as well as music programming (in hopes of providing a “pop of culture.” Several of these shows sound very Millennial including “Dorothy” — a modern day spin on “The Wizard of Oz” and “Upstarts,” set in Silicon Valley during the dotcom bubble. But E! isn’t moving away from reality shows anytime soon, also announcing “Opening Act,” a singing competition show where unknown online artists will be surprised with a chance to open for big name stars. Speaking of singers, tween sensation Cody Simpson will appear in a choose your own adventure-style YouTube movie out this summer on Warner Music’s YouTube Channel, which will contain concert footage and a behind-the-scenes tour. Warning: teenage girls are about to go crazy!) (AdAge) (Vulture)

- Some 60% of parents spy on their teens’ Facebook accounts (which makes sense given how problematic cyberbullying has become. Moms snoop on their kids’ account the most as they seek to protect their children, and American parents do so more than those in other countries) (MSNBC)

- Social good is essential for youth brands today (as Millennials expect  companies to engage in such behavior. Gen Y want to be a part of change and wear a badge of good global citizenship, so they’re drawn to brands like Starbucks, Pepsi, and Toms which promote these values) (MediaPost)

- Even publishers are finding ways to make use of Pinterest (as it continues to be a top platform for brands. Scholastic and Chronicle lead the way with their strategies to build relationships with readers and create fun, engaging boards aimed at moms and teens. In other publishing news, are US YA book covers too basic? A blogger makes a good point in her visual analysis of American covers compared to those released in other countries. What do you think? Tell us in the comments) (Publishers Weekly) (GalleyCat)

- Many students complain about math saying that they’ll never use half the things they learn later in life (and a whopping 61% of middle schoolers would even prefer to take out the garbage than do their math homework. Yet Mathalicious aims to change that with a weekly video series called Math52 where problems will be presented in creative ways and are applicable to teens’ everyday lives. Sounds like a formula for success!) (Good.Is)

- Remember the talented choir group from Staten Island that performed at the Oscars in 2011? Well they just premiered a documentary of their journey (called “Once in a Lullaby: The PS22 Chorus Story” at the Tribeca Film Festival this weekend. We’re amazed by these students and all their hard work!) (Huff Po)