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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... Read the rest of this post

State Farm targets Millennials (with a new microsite featuring a Seth Rogen lookalike. Also Target launches a social media push. Just in time to draw in the young, single Gen Y women who are feeling ready to spend again, according to a new study... Read the rest of this post

Here is the artwork that I created for Target's May carnival at St. Jude hospital. Hope everyone is enjoying this "spring" weather!

I knew I was going to check out the Liberty of London stuff at Target this past Sunday.  I also knew I was not going to wake up at 6am (ON A SUNDAY) to get there before the store opened, especially with the time change (side note: Yahoooo!!!).  I wanted to avoid the mad rush and figured if there was nothing left for me when I got there at 11, then it wasn’t meant to be.

When I arrived, I first headed to the women’s section.  Not unexpectedly it was a bit of a mess and I could tell my size was virtually sold out.  There was one dress left and while it fit, I put it back because it was polyester.  I’m not a fabric snob but I was hoping for cotton.

Then I went to the girls’ section: score!  Cute and cotton dresses aplenty and this was one of those times that I was glad to be petite.  The smock dress above is my favorite.  The color is not something I would normally pick out for myself but it goes well with my skin tone and the length is just right.

I also snagged these darling gardening gloves (the ones on the right).  I actually needed a pair:

OK, here’s where the decision-making comes in.  I don’t know if I should keep the following:

I love the sweet pea print of this top, but is it too juvenile for me?

Same question goes for this sundress (called a cover up on the tag; I guess it supposed to go with the swimsuits).  I love the almost psychedelic print.  I don’t normally wear such loose styles and do I really need these?  But wouldn’t these be great for late summer when the weather is really warm?  Could these transition into mommy-to-be wear?  (I’m not a mommy-to-be, by the way!)

I don’t know, any thoughts?  Did you pick up anything Liberty at Target?

Today we continue our Year In Review coverage with Youth Advisory Board member Libby Issendorf. Libby once again dons her hat as media analyst and shares her picks for the hits and misses she's seen this year in youth advertising. Best Ford.... Read the rest of this post

Today's second Youth Advisory Board post continues our Year In Review coverage with new YAB member and aspiring trendspotter Amanda Aziz. Below she shares her picks for the hits and misses she's seen in youth fashion this year. The Best Designers go... Read the rest of this post

We continue our Year In Review coverage today with an attempt to look back on what we thought were the biggest youth media and marketing trends of the year. If you think we've missed a big trend, please post your own in the comments. We also have... Read the rest of this post

Now, the Wall Street Journal and others are reporting that the big three retailers--Walmart, Target and Amazon--are rationing those selected bestsellers they have been deep discounting. This is ostensibly to prevent other retailers from buying from them in quantity and reselling these titles.

I believe that the only ones who are going to get hurt by the deep discounting and the rationing are those retailers who are doing it. First of all, they cannot continue to sell these books at these prices for a long period of time as they are losing a substantial amount of money by doing so; and limiting the number of copies per customer during the holiday season, especially, should discourage potential consumers and send them elsewhere.

In this poor economic climate for publishers and booksellers alike it would seem to me that working together to help our industry rather than undercutting each other would be far more constructive and productive.

What do you think?


-Jane

As schools across the country throw open their doors to millions of smiling and anxious faces this fall, Target is helping to ensure that these smiles are not dampened by our challenging economic climate.

Since 2006, Target’s Field Trip Grants program has promoted the importance of enhancing students’ studies outside the classroom by providing more than 729,000 students with the opportunity to go on a field trip. With 5,000 grants of up to $800 now available, Target is seeking to “Take Education on the Road” by covering the cost of transportation, entry fees, supplies and resource materials for classroom field trips. Educators are encouraged to apply online at Target.com/fieldtrips through November 3, 2009 for the opportunity to receive funding.

This effort continues Target’s ongoing commitment to supporting education and bolstering communities. Be sure to check back in the coming weeks to hear about First Book’s exciting work with Target this fall in Title I schools across the country!

I read this New York Times article, Target Can Make Sleepy Titles Into Best Sellers

Target is building a reputation as a “tastemaker” of books. With its Breakout program, the store highlights unknown writers and have helped many make it to the bestseller list. Plus, the Bookmarked Club Pick is selected by a panel of Target employees.

Each book selected has a special Target edition with an author letter specifically addressed to Target reader.

Here’s another interesting thing about the program.

“Virtually every book at Target is shelved face out. Books in the book club and Breakout program are set apart on so-called endcaps — narrower shelves that stand at the front or end of aisles — with specially designed signs.”

Of course, Target does not stock as many books as Barnes and Noble, but the great thing is that many authors are getting a “second life” for their novels.

It’s interesting because this week I watched an interview with Prince on The Tavis Smiley Show on PBS. He also has a somewhat similar type of program that exclusively markets his music to Target shoppers.

Target is definitely thinking outside of the box and getting “under the radar” books into the hands of readers.

I haven't had time to plow through our live blogs or read everyone's Tweets, but I thought I would attempt to summarize three themes I heard at this year's Ypulse Youth Marketing Mashup event come up repeatedly. The old way of slicing the youth... Read the rest of this post

Next 2k8 member to join the "Plagiarists anonymous" blog-week? Laurel Snyder, author of the new middle-grade fairy tale, Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains OR The Search for a Suitable Princess.
Laurel, what've you got for us? Just how bad is it?

Oh, man-- it's pretty bad.

See, the number one rule of stealing is that you're not supposed to steal from an obvious/famous source, right? You're supposed to steal something nobody will recognize. Or you're supposed to creatively tinker with what you've stolen, for a kind of meta effect.

Well I broke that rule without even realizing it. We were already in the copyediting stage when I started to have this weird feeling, this panicked sensation that one of the lines in my bookn was NOT MY OWN! It jsut felt like I'd seen it somewhere before...

Can you imagine?

The passage in my book was:

“Which way do you think you’re going anyway? North? North is nice, but then, South has its advantages too. And West rhymes with best, so it can’t be too bad. What’s your general direction?”

And although I didn't actually take this passage, word for word, I did totally steal it. From STUART LITTLE no less. Remember this?

"North is nice," said the repairman. I've always enjoyed going north. Of course, south-west is a fine direction too... and there's east. I once had an interesting experience on an easterly course..."

Imagine my horror when I figured it out, after a long night of poking around online, searching for a vague case of plagiarism. Because although I knew I hadn't really written it, I had no clue where I'd gotten it from. It was awful!

So that's it, my big experience as a thief.

Of course, I didn't actually make up the name of the villain from my next book, but I did pay for it, sort of. So that's not stealing, right? Just prostitution...

Yeah, okay, you're right, Laurel. We all agree. You're a total sleazeball, and you *should* be embarassed.

Just kidding. Sort of.