SAN FRANCISCO Shhhh. Longtime futurist and author Faith Popcorn warns that optimism is passé and brands that trumpet their benefits are hopelessly out of tune with consumers who are sick and tired of marketing's noise.

The founder of 33-year-old consultancy BrainReserve, Popcorn explains why she advises marketers such as Target, GE, McDonald's, Tylenol and Nabisco to build their strategies around whispers and honesty rather than hype and shouts. But is asking brands to act softly asking too much?

What is the primary consumer trend that marketers should be paying attention to?
We call it "cashing out." Workingmen and women are questioning their personal and career goals and opting for a simpler way of living. We see it in people of all ages and especially among those in their 20s. These young people are so tired of everything; they sound like they are in their 90s.

What do you think is causing all the weariness?
It comes from them being so angry at the way the world is going. Americans today have this life rage. They don't believe in the political candidates, in the FBI, in homeland security and, after Katrina, that the dams will hold up. They travel outside the U.S. and see the whole world is mad at us and they lose confidence in themselves. With the global warming issue, the situation makes them want to give up. Either global warming isn't happening [and the experts are wrong], or it is too late to do anything about it. Both are bad positions to be in. Consumers also think companies lie about the ingredients in their products, and they are sick of brands yelling at us. They are tired of being hyped all the time. While the phenomenon hits all ages, it is stronger in women, affecting 65 percent of them compared to 56 percent of men, according to our research.

How do consumers respond to this life rage?
They want to strip things down and make life simpler. It all seems too much for them, so they have an anti-bling attitude. They want less packaging and less expensive pricing. Now when they go to a restaurant, they want tap water instead of bottled [designer] water.

Which brands are responding well, and not so well, to this trend?
Microsoft has possible problems. Although the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation does a lot of good in the world, the Microsoft brand does not get credit for it. Instead, the brand is seen as remote, regulated and like a government agency. In contrast, Apple is well positioned. It is seen as sweet, warm and fuzzy in cute colors, with $100 products and collegiate sales clerks. Also, people are looking for companies to help where our government agencies have failed, such as food safety, and brands such as Whole Foods have stepped into the breach. In this environment it is important for brands to be transparent and honest, if they can bear it. People want to know a lot of things about their brands, they want them to be simple and they want brands to whisper to them and improve their lives.

Please explain what you mean by branding in whispers?
It is not boasting how great your products are, but showing how your brand can help people. It could be through services your company offers, or doing things for your community or the manner in which you sell your products. During the holidays when there were all these long lines and crowds, Apple's message basically was: "Here are these things and they really work." That's a whisper. When a store delivers something to your house or a bank gives you a ride to the local branch, those are whispers. When Mini gives people all these ways to buy their cars, the company is whispering to its audience.



Which big brands could whisper better?
Procter & Gamble's Tide could whisper by supporting the women who use it; it could put something back into the female community by helping battered women or doing things for families. People would respect the P&G brand more. Nike's marketing involves lots of talk but not [much] substance. What does Nike do to help people? For instance, they could own and improve the paths that people run on. Dove also needs to put something back. They have made the point about the beauty world treating women like they are fat and making them feel like shit, but let's get beyond the feel-good talk by supporting people and being a part of their lives. Tylenol wanted to reach young people; so a few years back we helped them design a program that addressed the pain in sports, such as skateboarding. The brand went to events at skateboard parks and had a Web site called ouch.com that celebrated the pain in young peoples' favorite sports. But Tylenol didn't talk about it in their TV ads and they didn't put skateboarders in their commercials. It was a whisper.

What about marketing executives who say if they whisper, consumers have so many options they'll just get distracted and walk away?
That is an old marketing model. Someone who says that is older than 40. Consumers like to discover something; they want to lean forward. We are just at the beginning of this phenomenon; I expect it to last until 2018.

What advice do you give strategists and marketing leaders facing this change?
If you are sitting at your desk for more than 10 hours a week, you are really screwing up. Get up from your desk and the Internet and go out in the world, see what is out there and learn what people are feeling. Then you will be able to grasp these changes faster. Otherwise, you will miss the signals. We ask companies, "Don't you see the train coming? Don't you see the training coming?