As I've written in this blog before, I have been studying and drawing attention to forms of harassment called "sexting" and "cyberbullying" for quite some time. "Sexting" is a pervasive problem amongst tweens and teens that use digital means to exchange racy messages and photos. See my prior blog posts...

Although I haven't seen Chris Rock's new documentary Good Hair I couldn't help but engage in conversations about it -- everywhere from the hair salon to the office. I doubt any black woman can say she's gone through life not hearing this idea at least once. As a child of...

Do you remember passing notes in school? There's the classic innocent example of "do you like me?", followed by three choices: "yes, no, or maybe?". A shoebox full of the notes I passed back and forth with my schoolmates would be a great (and probably embarrassing) overview of my teenage...

Teen obesity has tripled in the last two decades and has reached epidemic levels, according to numerous sources. While the health care debate in Washington continues to grumble, it seems that our youth are being overlooked. I thought we were building for the future? We need to focus more on...

In light of the recession and conversations with my tween buzzSpotters®, I wanted to share my list of the top things to do with your tweens this summer. Enjoy!

1. Visit a farm. It's important that tweens know where their food comes from. Spending some time at a local orchard...

On June 23, Bravo TV premiers a new reality series titled NYC Prep, a TV show that chronicles the lives of a handful of New York City's elite and over-privileged teenagers. The first episode is already available in-full online.

Viewing it and the trailers left me with such a...

There are simple steps we usually follow when we first meet someone. We generally ask where they're from, or what type of work they do or which school they attend; and, over time, the questions delve deeper into family and more personal issues. Sounds logical, right? Well, technology is changing...

Something inside me paused when I saw the dolls of the Obama girls last week. It felt wrong.

The media's love affair with the Obamas climbed to its peak during inauguration week last week. Ty Inc. conveniently decided to debut their two newest members of the...

It's no secret that young people drive purchasing decisions for their families. Youthful influence is abundant whether it's their favorite extra curricular activity's new accessory or back to school gear and supplies. Of course, the lead-up to the Christmas season is no exception, when ads are filled with star-studded promotions...

For today's entertainers, everyone's out to create a buzz by any means necessary. For adult personalities, creating media headlines by acting outlandishly is irresponsible and sets a horrible example. Even though Paris and LiLo's antics are reprehensible, these two work independently and make their own choices as to how they...

At times, the 2008 Presidential election campaign has been ugly. On top of the unfortunately commonplace personal character attacks in modern politics, Barack Obama's entrance into the global political theater has also shoved the issue of race into the spotlight.

Although the mainstream media proclaim the significance of race...

At times, the 2008 Presidential election campaign has been ugly. On top of the unfortunately commonplace personal character attacks in modern politics, Barack Obama's entrance into the global political theater has also shoved the issue of race into the spotlight.

Although the mainstream media proclaim the significance of race in...

Teens are down to two print magazine choices: Teen Vogue and Seventeen. Citing a down year in print ad sales, Hearst has decided shift to an online-only model for its teen publication CosmoGirl.

Is this the only solution when publishing brands are faced with balancing both online and print editions?...

Beverly Hills 90210 is back and it's thinner than ever. No, I'm not referring to the plot lines or character development. I'm talking about the girls. It's like central casting for stick insects. I expect the females playing high school fashionistas need to be thin, but when it gets to...

As a marketer, I've got to hand it to the Republican campaign machine. They blame Obama for not having experience, then elect Sarah Palin, a complete neophyte. Now Obama's choice of Biden looks old school and it's McCain who has the fresh ticket. In fact, they now hold the ultimate...

Conservative Republicans are adamant on the issue of teenage pregnancy, unless of course the teenager in question is the daughter of one of their leading candidates. Suddenly, compassion, forgiveness and open mindedness becomes the proper and expected mode of thinking and everyone is supposed to get in line and applaud...

No wonder. It has it all -- scandal, sex, treachery...

Amidst the turmoil of Russia attacking Georgia, the anticipation of the oncoming presidential election and the triumph of Michael Phelps making Olympic history, another news story has captured the public's fancy -- John Edwards' tawdry affair with a crazy lady.

No wonder. It has it all -- scandal, sex,...

For those of you who tuned in to my column two weeks ago, I posed the question: "Is Gossip Girl What Teens Really Want?" Unlike what the show's writers and marketers apparently think, I felt the program didn't connect with the real world as teens see it. And their...

After last week's post, I've decided to take a little break from lightening-rod topics, at least for a minute. You'll get my follow up the burning Gossip Girl question next week, when all the votes on this controversy are in from my buzzSpotters.

Meanwhile, here's something that will make...