But like it or not, the Apple MVNO rumor's back: the Chicago Tribune attributes one American Technology Research analyst as saying he thinks Apple "will have a device and an MVNO, " so there.

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Companies that consistently deliver great experiences appear from the research to have two attributes in common.

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Mintel, in its research report dated 2008, attributes this growth to the increasing appetite for new experiences with a philanthropic bent as well as increasing prevalence of career gaps at all life stages, from pre-university to retirement.

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In fact, 40% of the U.S. population would use the term "influential" to describe Washington, according to Los Angeles-based E-Poll Market Research, which ranks almost 4, 500 celebrities on 46 different personality attributes.

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Alexa Knight, of the research and strategy firm The Sound says: The return is reinforcement of brand values or product attributes through alignment with an event that truly mirrors those values or attributes.

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Just a few weeks into falling gas prices, new vehicle shoppers have ranked "overall fuel economy" No. 21 among attributes they most care about, two spots behind cup holders, according to a survey by CNW Marketing Research of Bandon, Ore.

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