Avon Products (AVP), which I first wrote about on May 6, 2009, at a price of $23.12, has pulled-back with the market's retreat, but I still like the company and the stock. Here's why:

Avon remains the world leader in direct-marketed cosmetics, toiletries, fashion jewelry, and fragrances, with ample growth opportunities in Latin America, China, and Central/Eastern Europe.

The summer movie season is only a few months away, and Viacom (VIA) has some big blockbusters in the works. The studio will use a number of ads during the Super Bowl to promote May's Iron Man 2 and July's The Last Airbender. There also will be a plug for a February flick with Leonardo DiCaprio called Shutter Island.

The runaway success of recent release Avatar proves that Americans are still spending strongly on movies. Viacom saw tremendous success with the original Iron Man release with Robert Downey Jr., and I expect another big payday at the box office.

Consumer products giant Unilever (UL) saw big business even during the worst of the recession thanks to its recognizable brands like Ben & Jerry's, Vaseline and Cutex. This loyal customer base has provided a great backbone for the company's sales and profits, and kept this stock attractive among investors.

Now that consumer spending appears to be on the mend, Unilever is looking to take its business to the next level with a new line of men's products -- including Dove moisturizers and bath items.

Dr Pepper-Snapple (DPS) will put its flagship soda brand before Super Bowl audiences for the first time this year with its Dr Pepper Cherry commercial. Spokesman Gene Simmons will offer up his tagline, "Trust me, I'm a doctor," with the rest of his KISS bandmates in the company's spot.

Dr Pepper has made a habit out of beating Wall Street expectations, with an average earnings surprise of 17% across the past four quarters.

Newspaper giant Gannett (GCI) owns a controlling influence in CareerBuilder.com. This online job-seeking portal is sure to see big revenue in the coming months as the employment picture brightens up and most human resource departments post their open positions.

A recent Wall Street Journal survey of 56 economists concluded that 1.4 million new jobs will be created in 2010. That means big things for CareerBuilder.com.

According to ad industry buzz, Coca-Cola (KO) has landed two Super Bowl spots that will star characters from the Simpsons, including Kwik-E-Mart clerk Apu cheering up the miser Mr. Burns with a Coke.

Coca-Cola is already a household name, but the company is looking to push sales to the next level. I think KO can do it.

The company has met or exceeded expectations for each of the last four earnings reports and should post another strong showing in February that will send shares up nicely.

There have been no problems selling big-ticket ads for this weekend's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIV. And with good reason -- this has been one of the best years for football on television, with viewership up across the board. The recent NFC and AFC championship games were the NFL's largest combined audience for the two championship games since January 1982.

With all those eyeballs, the real winners could turn out to be the companies with the most aggressive (and the most memorable) advertising spots.

Readers of this space know that like Warren Buffett, I like the rails, and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), which I first wrote about on May 1, 2009, at a price of $37.47, still looks attractive. Here's why.

I expect the global upturn, albeit with fits-and-starts, in commodity shipments (potash, coal) to continue, and look for the pace to quicken in 2010. Industrial car loadings also should register an impressive improvement this year. Meanwhile, increases in CP's railroad efficiency add to the positive story.

Where should you invest in 2010?" asks resources sector expert Curtis Hesler, who suggests, "Preferably, you should stick to the heart of the matter and focus on crude oil and gold.".

In his top-ranked The Professional Timing Service, he explains, "Invest in assets that promise to increase in price as the dollar falls; this will insulate your portfolio from the damage that the ongoing deleveraging process will bring to the stock market and to other paper assets."

I've liked the railroad sector for a while, and CSX Corp. (CSX), which I first wrote about on May 1, 2009, at a price of $30.56, looks likely to continue to move higher. Here's why:

CSX's volumes should increase and overall prices for transport services should firm, albeit with some softness in selected price categories, as the U.S./global economic recoveries gain momentum in 2010. Basic materials transport, including coal and scrap, should also experience healthy business gains in 2010, and the company's increased efficiency adds to the positive story.

Sitting in his college dorm, a student stared at his jar of coins, wondering what to do with them; two years later in 1991, Jens Molbak started a company that allowed customers to pour their change into a machine and getting dollars in return," notes Paul Tracy.

The editor of Street Authority Market Advisor adds, "Coinstar (CSTR) is now offering its products and services in more than 90,000 locations in more than 140 countries."