(MONEY Magazine) – Glenn Gundersen, author of the new 2002 "Trends in Trademarks" report, says you can read the future in trademark applications. Marketers, for example, are currently betting that Americans want brands that convey strength and security. In 2001, "energy," "America" and "comfort" made gains. On the other hand, boom-time buzzwords "world" and "global" fell 39% and 44%, respectively, suggesting an inward-turning mood. What else is out for 2002? Radical thinking--or maybe thinking in general. Longtime favorites "extreme" and "edge" waned in popularity, and "think," "mind" and "brain" all plummeted 38% or more.

--C.W.