"What captivates us now is special stuff, stuff that only a few of us can get, stuff that stands for something or symbolizes something. And, more compelling than stuff, are experiences — events, trips, places, sights, sounds, tastes that are out of the ordinary, memorable in their own right, precious in their uniqueness and fulfilling in a way that seems to make us more than we were. . . .Some describe this phenomenon as 'the experience economy.' "
—Richard G. Barlow, "The Net upends tenets of loyalty marketing," Advertising Age, April 17, 2000