Teens today are growing up in a vastly different world than I did, due in large part to the emerging technologies that surround them. This young group knows no other world than one in which information is always at their fingertips; a world in which everyone is "connected." It's not surprising that they use the Web more than any other demographic - according to eMarketer 93% of 12-17 year olds are Internet users versus only 74% of the total U.S. population.

Last month we featured "What Are Teen Girls Really Talking About?" I received many emails asking me for more information about "This Girl." So we asked hundreds of teen girls for their likes, dislikes, heroes and favorite movies, books and music. Below is a random sampling of four girls ages 13 - 16, an inside look at "This Girl."

A lot has happened this year and teens have taken notice. World events, economic pressures, personal milestones, friends, education and brands all play big roles in influencing the lives of teens. Teens are evolving and maturing as fast as the technologies and platforms we build around them.

Think about it. At any given time, the average teen could be watching television, texting friends, surfing the web and finishing a term paper - all at once. The funny thing is that this is what many teens prefer. Their generation has become so used to the concept of multi-tasking that it has almost become second nature to them. So how can marketers take advantage of that?

We need to be a part of their conversations, but what are their conversations? What are the topics they are talking about and more importantly, what are they really saying - their words, their voices?

With Halloween behind us and Thanksgiving on its way, the holiday season is finally upon us. Every marketer knows that this is the busiest shopping time of the year, and with new seasonal products come new ways to promote during this critical time for retailers.

As far as teenagers are concerned, over the past few years it seems that the marketing and advertising industry's spotlight was aimed towards Facebook, the blue giant: Major budgets and company resources were invested in designing and coding branded Facebook pages, applications became the center of major campaigns and number of Facebook fans on the brands' page is now an essential KPI for any marketing activity.

The latest crop of college students - those in their late teens -- faces one of the toughest economic climates in recent history, compounded by rising tuition costs and bleak job prospects. Hard realities shape the outlook and values of this generation, and it is reflected in the video content they watch. After visiting with four students during last week's panel discussion at OMMA Video in San Francisco, it is clear that they don't have the time or patience to wade through advertising that doesn't provide a distinct and practical benefit.

1998 was the year in which Steve Jobs said, "It's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them."

In a time filled with so much uncertainty, one thing seems to be a definite: America's ethnic culture is changing. Naturally, this means that America's teenagers are changing along with it. With one of the most desirable audiences for marketers becoming more and more ethnically diverse, it's important to reach out to as many teens as possible. Multicultural marketing is imperative for the current generation. Yet, at the same time, marketers have to be careful when toeing the fine line that is appealing to all people while trying not to fragment groups based on stereotype. Here are a few tips …