Video gaming is big business. By some measures, it is the biggest form of entertainment on the planet. In 2015, U.S. video game industry revenue was $23.5 billion (compared to just $11 billion for Hollywood). One thing that sets video gaming apart from other media channels is the control consumers have over the product. Oh, you didn't realize players had any control over things? Let me explain.

Teens used to be mallrats, which made it much easier for companies to win their attention and their dollars, because they hung out in a space that was dedicated to brands and retail. Then came the era of social media and online shopping - and suddenly teens had little use for the mall, because they had other means to connect with friends and acquire products through digital platforms. Retailers have been struggling to connect with teens--and young consumers in general--and as a result, many are closing their doors. The much -rumored death of malls seems imminent, but teens can actually …

Presidential campaigns often come down to a few closely fought demographics like "soccer moms" or "NASCAR dads." This year, in what seems likely to prove to be the most unpredictable election of our lifetime, one of the key battleground demographics is also surprising: Adults 18-24.

At last week's Mobile Marketing Association SM2 Summit, much of the discussion centered on the elements of great marketing campaigns. As exemplified by the winners of the annual Smarties Awards, marketers today need to create emotional connections with their audiences and drive engagement across multiple touchpoints. Using Snapchat, for example, isn't really "doing mobile." I got to thinking about marketers' missteps when approaching the teen market. Are they, for example, "doing Snapchat" and considering this single tactic to be a "teen engagement strategy?"