Generation Z may be populated by digital natives, but their attachment to devices isn't about the coolest tech. It's about online experiences and constant connection - not only with friends and family but with anyone in the wider world, including brands. Gen Z understands with more clarity than prior generations that brands are populated by real people.

Like everyone in today's topsy-turvy world, young people are struggling to separate fact from fiction. Fake news has become a catchall phrase that encompasses a wide range of communication and content - everything from items intended to mislead to satire to honest mistakes to things people simply disagree with. It's a big problem, especially for teens who are in the process of forming their maps of the media world. In this environment, the worst things brands and marketers can do is to further confuse the situation by producing and promoting false content themselves.

Millennials have been the obsession of marketers for the past decade. They have been metaphorically poked, prodded, dissected, defined and redefined to the point of cliche.

It's that time of year when NCAA March Madness takes over much of TV airwaves and the cultural conversation. Generally, marketers and advertisers gear their campaigns around the tournament to older fans-those who are of drinking age (for obvious reasons) and those who are in college or have an alma mater to cheer for. However, they are missing a key opportunity with teens who get immersed in the event.

It's one of childhood's fondest memories: hanging out with friends after school or on weekends. Whether it was going over to your friend's house, inviting them to yours, or going to a "third place" like a mall, movie theater, pizza parlor or arcade, the hanging out was always in person. You could walk over to your friend's house, ride a bike or skateboard, get a ride from an older sibling, or ask for a ride from your parents or your friend's parents.

In early December, a scathing op-ed about the soon-to-be President made huge waves throughout the media ecosystem. The essay went viral and earned kudos from journalism's elite for its bold stance and courageous call to action. It also received some raised eyebrows, because the source wasn't "The Washington Post" or "The New York Times." It was "Teen Vogue."