K-HOLE
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
K-HOLE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- K-HOLE
- Legal name
- K-HOLE
- Website
- https://khole.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where K-HOLE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
K-HOLE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Trend Forecasting Consulting: K-HOLE provides trend forecasting and consulting services to brands and cultural institutions, including commissioned reports and strategic advisory engagements.
- Artistic Commissions and Projects: The company produces commissioned artwork, advertising campaigns, and collaborative projects with brands and cultural institutions such as the New Museum Triennial.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
K-HOLE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
K-HOLE is a trend forecasting consultancy that publishes analytical reports ("Issues") on consumer behavior, youth culture, and brand anxiety, and produces commissioned creative projects—including artwork, advertising campaigns, and limited-edition products—for brands and cultural institutions. Its proprietary frameworks, such as the Brand Anxiety Matrix and the Youth Mode/Normcore thesis, are delivered through free downloadable PDFs and direct client engagements.
Product overview
K-HOLE is a trend forecasting group based in New York that publishes periodic reports (Issues) on cultural trends, consumer behavior, and brand strategy. Their flagship offering is the series of K-HOLE reports including the influential 'YOUTH MODE: A Report on Freedom' which introduced the 'Normcore' concept. In addition to reports, they produce creative projects (limited-edition products, art installations, campaigns) for clients and self-initiated exhibitions. The Issues and Projects work together—the reports provide analytical frameworks while the projects demonstrate these concepts through tangible cultural artifacts and installations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- K-HOLE #1: FragMOREtation Trend forecasting report analyzing how brands and individuals signal identity through visibility strategies, distributed as a free downloadable PDF from khole.net and aimed at brand strategists, marketers, and cultural commentators.
- K-HOLE #2: ProLASTicity Trend forecasting report on temporal flexibility and patient consumption, distributed as a free downloadable PDF and aimed at brand strategists, marketers, and cultural analysts.
- K-HOLE #3: The K-HOLE Brand Anxiety Matrix Analytical report framing "The job of the advanced consumer is managing anxiety, period," and introducing the Brand Anxiety Matrix as a diagnostic tool for how consumers manage anxiety through brand engagement, distributed as a free downloadable PDF.
- YOUTH MODE: A Report on Freedom Foundational trend forecasting analysis of youth culture and fashion freedom that introduced the term "Normcore," distributed as a free downloadable PDF from khole.net.
- K-HOLE #5: A Report on Doubt Trend forecasting report on uncertainty and doubt in contemporary culture and consumer behavior, distributed as a free downloadable PDF from khole.net.
- Creative Leadership (2014) Commissioned mini-report service for fashion and culture publication 032c on the concept of Creative Leadership, featuring original interviews, produced as a bespoke consultancy deliverable.
- Extended Release (2015) Commissioned artwork and advertising campaign service delivered to the New Museum for its 2015 Triennial: Surround Audience, including production and release of the XR mascot as a LINE sticker pack.
- K-PAX (2015) Limited-edition physical product service: a hand-polished chrome vaporizer accessory for PAX, produced as a collaborative product with PAX and sold as a limited edition of 10 units.
Quantifiable outcome
- Coined 'Normcore' trend term now in Oxford Dictionaries
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use K-HOLE
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
K-HOLE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
K-HOLE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- PAXminorHand-polished chrome vaporizer collaboration sold as limited edition of 10. K-PAX was released at a party in Miami Beach deejayed by Metro Boomin.
- New MuseumcoreCommissioned artwork and advertising campaign produced for the 2015 New Museum Triennial: Surround Audience. XR mascot was released as LINE sticker pack.
- 032ccoreMini-report commissioned by 032c investigating the concept of Creative Leadership, featuring interviews with fashion headhunter Floriane de Saint-Pierre, Venkatesh Rao, and Soundcloud's Eric Wahlforss.
- JanusminorPresentation and party exploring insomnia and nightlife through Normcore lens, produced in collaboration with Berlin club collective Janus and presented at MoMA PS1.
- MoodminorSeries of shirts inspired by YOUTH MODE and skateboarding culture, produced in collaboration with Mood (New York).
- Eckhaus LattaminorDeodorants (BRAD and YOU) produced in collaboration with Eckhaus Latta, hand-made in Upstate New York.
- Kraupa-Tuskany ZeidlerminorBerlin-based gallery/distributor handling distribution of BRAD and YOU deodorants in Europe.
- V-FILESminorNew York-based retailer/distributor handling distribution of BRAD and YOU deodorants in the US.
- JawboneminorSelf-initiated campaign 'Getting Better Together' for the failed launch of Jawbone Up self-tracking bracelet, later exhibited at Moscow Biennial for Young Art.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
K-HOLE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WGSN: WGSN is the largest dedicated trend forecasting firm serving fashion, retail, and consumer brands. Like K-HOLE, it sells forward-looking cultural and consumer insights to enterprise clients, but at vastly greater scale and via a subscription platform.
- Stylus: Stylus provides trend forecasting and consumer insight reports across multiple industries. It mirrors K-HOLE's report-based model of translating cultural shifts into actionable intelligence for brands.
- The Future Laboratory: The Future Laboratory is a trend forecasting and consumer insight consultancy publishing reports and offering strategic advisory. Its editorial-style reporting and brand strategy focus directly parallels K-HOLE's positioning.
- TrendWatching: TrendWatching publishes trend intelligence and consumer insight briefings for global brands. Its focus on accessible cultural and consumer trends overlaps directly with K-HOLE's analytical approach.
- Sparks & Honey: Sparks & Honey (now part of Ogilvy) is a cultural strategy and trend intelligence consultancy that produces reports on youth culture and emerging consumer behavior — closely aligned with K-HOLE's youth and cultural focus.
- Future Today Institute: Future Today Institute produces annual trend forecasting reports and strategic advisory for enterprises and governments. Its report-led approach to translating emerging shifts into strategy parallels K-HOLE's core model.
Broad incumbents
- J. Walter Thompson Intelligence: JWT Intelligence is the in-house trend forecasting and consumer research arm of a major global advertising network. It offers overlapping cultural insights but as part of a broader agency portfolio rather than as a specialized consultancy.
- Mintel: Mintel is a global market research firm providing consumer research and trend analysis to brands. While more data-heavy and broad, its consumer insight and trend products overlap with K-HOLE's analytical offerings.
Emerging players
- PSFK: PSFK publishes trend reports and consulting on retail, design, and consumer innovation. Its editorial-report-driven model and brand strategy focus make it a comparable, though broader, peer to K-HOLE.
Regional players
- Box 1824: Box 1824 is an Italian trend research and youth culture consultancy. K-HOLE has previously collaborated with Box 1824 on trend research, indicating comparable methodologies and shared client base in the European fashion/cultural space.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
K-HOLE social profiles
Digital presenceK-HOLE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
K-HOLE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
K-HOLE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
K-HOLE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about K-HOLE
What does K-HOLE do?
K-HOLE is a trend forecasting consultancy that publishes analytical reports ("Issues") on consumer behavior, youth culture, and brand anxiety, and produces commissioned creative projects—including artwork, advertising campaigns, and limited-edition products—for brands and cultural institutions. Its proprietary frameworks, such as the Brand Anxiety Matrix and the Youth Mode/Normcore thesis, are delivered through free downloadable PDFs and direct client engagements.
Is K-HOLE a public or private company?
K-HOLE is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was K-HOLE founded?
K-HOLE was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is K-HOLE based?
K-HOLE is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does K-HOLE make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Trend Forecasting Consulting is the primary driver. The others are artistic Commissions and Projects.
Who are K-HOLE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WGSN, Stylus, The Future Laboratory, TrendWatching, Sparks & Honey and Future Today Institute. Broad incumbents are J. Walter Thompson Intelligence and Mintel. PSFK is listed as an emerging player. Box 1824 is listed as a regional player.
Does K-HOLE have an API?
No public API is recorded for K-HOLE.