The teen market is smarter and tougher to sell to than ever before. At the same time, kids have become a substantial consumer block. One report says that teens in the U.S. spent $109 billion last year. How is the industry catering to a group that has so much influence?

Teens today may have more money to spend than teens of previous generations, but they’re also a lot more skilled at using it. The media has helped turn the kids of today into incredibly savvy consumers, who know when they’re being sold and what they want. In the following report, we take a look at the contemporary teenager, what they like and dislike, and what they represent as a demographic group. We also profile some of the entertainment products that are targeting tweens and teens and what they’re doing to try to turn kids on.