Industry Innovators 2024: Pinterest

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The Basics: Pinterest, the social media platform known for its version of digital vision boards, has been bringing its pins off the (web)page as of late with activations at tentpole events like Coachella, Cannes Lions, and CES. Its playful experiences reflect the platform’s aspirational spirit with interactive displays and cheerful color schemes. And in turn, more and more brands are utilizing Pinterest to reach the Gen Z audience. 

Pinterest's first-ever Coachella activation was called Manifest Station, a fashion and beauty experience.Photo: Kelly PuleioMost Innovative Experiences: At Coachella this year, Pinterest presented Manifestation Station, the platform's first-ever pop-up at the festival. The space encouraged festivalgoers to evoke the nostalgic fashion of Coachella from decades past, while also tapping into current Pinterest-identified trends like “Lana Del Rey core” and “2014 core." The bespoke activation included an ethereal photo op set in clouds. Fans could also get glowy beauty looks created by celebrity makeup artists from trend-inspired menus built through collaborative boards on Pinterest. 

The "Pinterest: A New Era" activation at this year's CES included the Gen-Zenius bar where guests were encouraged to explore how Gen Z inspired the company’s latest shoppable features like Collages. Displays around the activation showcased various Pinterest Predicts trends like "Be Jelly" and "Blue Beauty." All of the products were from Pinterest merchants; visitors could scan a QR code and shop via the platform.Photo: Courtesy of PinterestAt this year’s CES, the "Pinterest: A New Era" activation included shoppable trend installations to highlight the platform’s shift into shopping tech. Guests were encouraged to explore how Gen Z inspired the company’s latest shoppable features like Collages.  

"Gen Z is our fastest-growing audience," Seán Doyle, director of experiential marketing for Pinterest, told BizBash in January. "We wanted to bring that audience to life, and the heart of our activation this year is the Gen-Zenius bar, with this prime position in the archway as you come in. This is an opportunity for our clients and visitors to our events to come and learn about what's driving this momentum at Pinterest." 

Judy Lee, head of global brand experiences and programs at Pinterest, also pointed out the company's regional event series called Pinvision, which is In its second year. "We reimagined the traditional ads conference and we created an immersive experience to share Pinterest’s new era of performance solutions. It was an actor-led experience that attendees walked through to learn more about the power of Pinterest to reach Gen Z."

At Cannes Lions, artist One by One Tattoo curated designs for attendees inspired by Pinterest trends.Photo: Courtesy of PinterestEvent Philosophy: "Our overall philosophy is to bring Pinterest to life. We’re a visual discovery platform where people get inspired, decide what they want to do, and then we help them do it. Simply put, we want people to feel like they’re inside of a Pin," Lee said.

The Latest: Once again, Pinterest brought its "Manifestival" activation to Cannes Lions this year. Featuring fewer talks and panels and more hands-on activities, the space included a tattoo parlor where attendees could get designs inspired by Pinterest Trends, upcycled accessory customization, a charm jewelry station, and more. "This was designed to offer a colorful and immersive step into a real-life Pinterest where people can go from inspiration to action," Lee said. 

Pinterest's Coachella activation offered fit and merch embellishments selected by celebrity stylists and inspired by Pinterest’s Coachella trends, including "Eclectic Grandpa."Photo: Kelly Puleio

CES attendees could also get manicures with “Blue Beauty” and “Hot Metals” finishes, including silver and blue chrome nails, decals, and stickers; receive “Bow Stacking” styling services from Los Angeles creator Tay Pac; and create custom crossbody bags with pins reflecting their favorite Pinterest Predicts trends.Photo: Courtesy of Pinterest

Artist Sophie Hird worked with attendees to create custom bags constructed entirely out of repurposed materials like football jerseys and sports paraphernalia at Cannes Lions.Photo: Courtesy of Pinterest