When it comes to connecting and communicating, there's no shortage of choices available to teenagers (and the rest of us). How these different options work and impact the way teens communicate is worth exploring. There are three camps when it comes to social and messaging apps: private, semi-private and anonymous.

While many American sports fans (and brands) are currently absorbed in the annual ritual that is March Madness, marketers should instead be paying attention to the story of Connor, a 16-year-old former Seattle SuperSonics fan. After losing his hometown team to Oklahoma - but not his unwavering passion for the NBA - he has been in search of a new team to root for. So he did what any young consumer trying to make a decision would do: he researched his options.

If you would have told me a decade ago that a show like "Pretty Little Liars" would be a hit among Generation Z, I would have told you that you were crazy. The ABC Family mystery-drama diverges from some of the most popular teen dramas of the aughts. It doesn't have the glamour of "Gossip Girl," and its grim storylines make the soapy "The O.C." seem like a children's show. But thanks to a significant social media footprint (14.5 million Facebook fans, 2.63 million Twitter followers and 2 million Instagram followers) and intense storytelling, "Pretty Little Liars" is getting teens …

A new class of media channels is creating vast new audiences of deeply engaged young viewers. They are also blurring the line between creators and consumers. While some marketers recognize the potential of these platforms, there is more that can be done.

This week marks the debut of the Acumen Report, our annual study on consumers and their media habits. This year we explored 13- to-24-year-olds and their relationship with content. Not just what they're watching (TV vs. online video vs. paid digital subscriptions), but also why they are gravitating to digital platforms to connect with content.