We help brands understand changing consumers, uncover opportunity and grow with confidence, for example:

• Growing iconic brands such as Haigh’s Chocolates nationally, in-store and online

• Selected by brands from Dilmah Tea to Accor (Hotel) Group for Australian new product development and local market insight

• Helping brands like Lion Co and Minelab understand multicultural and international markets, or iconic Bickford’s to become Australia’s favourite cordial.

We help governments understand communities, shape behaviour and improve public outcomes, for example:

• Driving behaviour change across smoking, screening, recycling and public health initiatives

• Supporting place and brand campaigns to attract talent and encourage local purchasing

• Helping government and arts organisations engage younger and emerging audiences

We help sectors understand change, identify emerging needs and plan for the future, often to be shared with the sector to guide priorities, to inform government and educate the community through public media, for example:

• Helping Wine Australia respond to hospitality disruption and shifting consumption trends

• Supporting housing and development sectors to understand market shifts and future needs, alongside long-term collaborations across education, the arts, sport and culture,  environment and other key sectors. This includes economic and cultural impact studies to guide government policy reform

• Partnering with the Maggie Beer Foundation to improve wellbeing for older Australians

We explore the wider cultural forces shaping expectations, behaviour and demand — from shifting values and generational attitudes to emerging norms, rituals and social tensions. This helps organisations understand the broader context influencing decisions, relevance and future opportunity.

We uncover the lived realities, motivations and unmet needs of the people behind the data — exploring how changing identities, lifestyles, expectations and behaviours shape decisions, experiences and market opportunity.

We examine the environments people live, work and move through — from homes and neighbourhoods to precincts, workplaces and cities. By understanding how place shapes perception, participation and behaviour, we help organisations respond to the contexts in which decisions are made.

Step 1: Start with exploration

We uncover the deeper patterns shaping people, markets and culture through tailored mixed-method exploration — combining ethnography, focus groups, surveys, human data and broader contextual analysis.

For over 20 years, these explorations have helped governments, businesses and brands understand shifting behaviours, challenge assumptions and uncover unmet needs — creating the clarity required for smarter strategy, stronger innovation and more confident decisions.

Common applications include:

1. Category and cultural exploration
2. Personas and journey development
3. Brand positioning and growth strategy
4. Product innovation roadmaps
5. New market entry pathways

Step 2: Test priority ideas

Bold ideas deserve more than blind faith. We help organisations evaluate and refine concepts, propositions, communications and experiences before launch — revealing what resonates, what creates friction and what requires refinement.

Drawing on two decades of experience across business and government, we provide the cultural and commercial confidence to sharpen ideas, reduce risk and improve real-world traction.

Common applications include:

1. Scenario planning and reimagining
2. Service design and improvement
3. Brand and advertising development
4. Product testing and path-to-market
5. Policy and planning refinement

Step 3: Keep listening and learning

Staying relevant requires more than one-off insight. We help organisations track shifting behaviours, perceptions and market signals over time — monitoring the cultural, customer and commercial indicators shaping performance and future opportunity.

Drawing on decades of experience in tracking brand health, sentiment, behaviour change and human data, we help clients stay aligned with changing realities and adapt with confidence.

Common applications include:

1. Culture, sentiment and behaviour tracking
2. Customer feedback, NPS and CSAT
3. Brand and advertising tracking
4. Product innovation monitoring
5. New market growth tracking

Reflecting our deep curiosity about people and culture, Think! is Square Holes’ weekly Friday publication exploring cultural shifts, behavioural change and emerging ideas shaping the world around us. Each edition features original insights, guest contributors, podcast episodes, curated media and research findings — designed to spark curiosity and broaden perspective. We also regularly contribute cultural insight articles to leading publications.

Square Holes delivers talks, workshops and tailored sessions exploring cultural insight, behaviour change, consumer trends and future opportunity. From lunch-and-learns and keynote presentations to strategic workshops and executive education, our team and global network bring fresh perspective to challenge assumptions, align teams and spark new thinking.

Access our engaged community of real people sharing their lives, perspectives, aspirations and feedback. Used for rapid feedback, trend exploration, concept testing and ongoing listening, our community helps clients stay closely connected to evolving realities.

Square Holes develops in-house private AI tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) to support deeper exploration, faster synthesis and more advanced pattern recognition. Applied across qualitative, quantitative and multi-project datasets, these tools enhance our ability to identify connections, surface insight and support more informed, human-guided decision-making.

Our in-house research technology incubation explores new ways to collect, interpret and apply human insight. From agile product testing platforms to AI-enhanced analysis tools, we are developing smarter, faster and more accessible ways to unlock deeper understanding, reduce friction and accelerate decision-making.

Square Holes has built a trusted local and global network of human-curious researchers, cultural insight specialists and strategists. When additional expertise, speed or scale is required, we assemble the right people around the challenge — extending our studio model to meet the needs of each engagement.

Typically growth focused SMEs to larger national or multinational businesses seeking strategic clarity and innovation pathway, including Innovation & Strategy Leads, Product Developers, Insights Managers, CX and Service Design Leaders and Brand & Marketing Directors.

Leaders shaping cities, policies and social impact, including Department heads, advisors and planners (e.g. Health, Education, Housing, Environment and Transport), Economic Development Officers, Policy, Marketing & Behavioural Advisors, Infrastructure & Planning Managers and Arts & Culture Strategists.

Square Holes partners with collaborative industries like wine, hospitality, retail and building to understand shifting consumer trends and market priorities – supporting their sectors, including priorities for small, medium and large businesses to survive and thrive in evolving and shrinking markets, including working with Sector Analysts, Industry Advocates and Engagement Managers.

We also work with academic and advocacy groups seeking systemised and expert collection and analysis social or sector data and insights, such as University Research Units, Think Tanks, Professional Associations and Education Institutions.

Agile, funded, fast-growth companies and challenger brands, including Founders, COOs, Product Managers (SaaS, Apps), and Marketing Leads focused on culture, niche and new market relevance and rapid feedback, product / service evolution.

Collaborators driving strategy and expansion, seeking an expert research partner, including Creative & Brand Agencies, Town Planners, Accountants, Lawyers, Management Consultants, Strategists, Start-up Funders and Advisors and Export & Growth Leads.