Compared to accessibility teens enjoyed a decade ago, the teenagers of today's generation live in a world where exposure to the media is right at their fingertips. Teens are inundated with advertising and messages all day long, and on many different platforms. Ironically, the attention of this digitally-connected audience is challenging for marketers to capture. They choose what advertising they engage with, not vice versa.

When you're a teenager, there are few days of the year as momentous as the first day back to school. After months off, they re-enter the social realm of school and just about every youth marketer is on hand to help today's teens strut their stuff with a fresh look and new gear. Here are five back-to-school marketing trends we're seeing this year that will help you make the grade with teens.

Recently, MTV unveiled its findings of a study examining young Millennials-those between 13 and 17 years old who will soon move into the sweet spot of MTV's core target demographic of 18-24 year olds. In a nutshell, MTV found that today's teens-what the report calls the second wave of Millennials-are experiencing their life stage very differently than their 20-something counterparts did. Today's teens, according to the report, are a harder-edged group, shaped by harsh economic realities and less made to think they're special, like the older Millennials stereotypically were.

Last week, I attended my nephew's high school graduation. As I watched the students toss their caps into the sky and pose for photos with family, it struck me how profound that moment really is ... the beginning of the rest of their lives. The next few years is where they truly learn independence, how to fend for themselves, manage a budget, soothe themselves when they're sick, choose what products to buy, and the list goes on. Academics are a primary component, but the college experience runs so much deeper. Such an influential period in their lives, it's no surprise …