Ypulse Year in Review Sneak Peek!

I'm working on a Ypulse feature of the best and worst teen-targeted campaigns of 2008, and I thought you Yaybies might appreciate a sneak peek. I'm still debating a few of the final spots, so please leave your suggestions in the comments!

BEST:

Obvs. Everything from Barack Obama's iconic logo to his sans serif font resonated with young voters, and Obama urged them to talk about it. The campaign mobilized youth by linking them together through forums they already used--Facebook, texting, Twitter, iPhone apps--and helped them form communities through which they rallied for change. Obama's team attitude and liberal policies clearly didn't hurt his popularity among youth, either. 18-29-year-old voters responded by voting for Obama in record numbers, and some think his focus on young voters won him the White House.

BEST:

Erin Yaybia'd this Dentyne campaign back in October and talked about how it is relevant to the way young people live their lives through a screen. We do want to disconnect, though, and I love that Dentyne wants to prepare me to make face time for my friends IRL. Sometimes "xoxo" just doesn't cut it.

BEST:

VitaminWater made two key partnerships this year with Gossip Girl and the Sex and the City movie. Their brand ambassadors have also made the beverage a must-have on college campuses. You might have guessed that we don't really mind the brand, either...

BEST:

I Yaybia'd this fall about how great this Target spot is. It taps into a real consumer insight about freshmen's roommate fears and puts a positive, exciting spin on them.

WORST:

I know teens aren't Toyota's target (besides the Scion, targeted at men 18-24) but sports fans of any age are ready to stab out their eardrums the next time they hear this commercial during every NCAA football commercial break. STOP.

WORST:

JC Penney has been missing the mark with all their teen-targeted back-to-school, but this one is especially off. I'm too young for The Breakfast Club, and I left high school over 4 years ago. It shows that JC Penney is exactly what they're fighting not to be--your mom's store.

WORST:

I pretty thoroughly bashed the Candie's Foundation PSA in an earlier Ypulse entry, but I just need to repeat that it's so parental and out of touch. Ugh.

I've got room for one more Best and two more Worst. What do you think? Save the Walls? Axe/Dove/both? That JohnMcCain MyBarackBook site? American Apparel? Toyota Scion? Let's hear 'em!