This article that Nielsen published last month paints an interesting picture of how youngsters (I believe they prefer “millenials” or maybe just “those damn kids”) consume media and engage with the internet. Taken together, these bullet points illustrate a generation with the mobile Web at the absolute epicenter of their media experience. Teens view almost twice as much mobile video as the general population, while they watch less traditional TV than any other age group. Not only are they text-message addicts, they’re also less likely to make voice-calls than most other cellphone owners. They’re highly engaged in social networks – it’s safe to assume this engagement is happening on phones – and they’re also more suceptible to mobile ads.

So as this genration matures, how will their habits shape the media landscape? Obviously, the future will be driven by mobile. The positive side is that mobile ads seem to be effective at capturing attention, and as mobile shopping grows, these ads could drive sales (especially if coupled with real-world, real-time shopping & promotions). The downside is that mobile screens are small and less immersive, so viewer attention is harder to maintain. How will advertisers shift their tactics to make this new realm of mobile ads more effective and more valuable? Digital ads on desktop/laptop screens are still maturing, and the lessons learned in that world might not even apply to mobile. There’s no clear answer yet, but if I was an advertiser, I’d be investing heavily in mobile to try and figure it out fast.