Horizon Media Hires Trendspotter Kirk Olson

New York-based media services company Horizon Media has appointed former Ipsos exec Kirk Olson as Director of TrendSights, to create, develop and manage a global trendspotting team with its new division, The WHY Group.

Founded in 1989, Horizon Media also has US offices in Los Angeles, San Diego and Chicago, and a European base in Amsterdam. The WHY Group was launched last year and focuses on identifying cultural and societal trends, and using social media to investigate what drives consumer behavior.

Olson joins from Ipsos, where he served as VP of Social Spaces, the agency's online market research community product. Prior to this, he was Director of Strategy and Insights at social intelligence firm Passenger, and VP and Consumer Strategist at consumer research specialist Iconoculture.

In his new role, Olson will report to Sheri Roder, Horizon Media's Chief of WHY, who comments: 'We are leading the charge in identifying and converting shifts in the national and global zeitgeist into opportunities for Horizon and its clients. Kirk's breadth and depth of experience in the field of trend analysis makes him uniquely qualified to do just that.'

Web site: www.horizonmedia.com .