Preppies or techies, they are all tech-savvy

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: blogs, she said. Magazines remain especially important to teen girls, who see them as a social, hands-on experience, Wells said.

At the other extreme, teens are increasingly flocking to online destinations such as Habbo, a virtual community for teens that reports 9.5 million unique worldwide visitors each month, 2.4 million from the United States. Owned by Sulake Corporation in Finland, Habbo is free to use, but makes money through advertising and when users buy in-world items such as furniture or clothing. Teens use virtual avatars to chat, explore or play games. The site provides great insights into trends since “teens might want different things every day,” said Teemu Huuhtanen, vice president for marketing and business development.

Teens expect global interaction as technology such as instant messaging lets them connect with peers around the globe, Wells said. Teens also accept that there is a merging global youth culture, where hot trends and entertainment can emerge from anywhere. With this in mind, she said, media coverage of the presidential campaign has puzzled many teens.“They don’t understand why race is such a big deal,” she said. “Their universe is totally different.”