Pinterest Case Study
From Planning
into Presence
01. THE ASK
How can Pinterest increase daily engagement and become an essential habit, rather than a tool users only return to for occasional projects?
02. THE CHALLENGE
Pinterest maintains 85% brand awareness, yet activity remains low. The initial spark of inspiration happens in the real world long before they open the app.
03. THE STRATEGY
Inspiration doesn't start on a screen. Position Pinterest where ideas actually begin by extending the platform into the physical world.
The Discovery Gap
Behavioral analysis revealed a critical truth: Inspiration is embedded in everyday environments, not digital platforms. Pinterest wasn't failing to inspire; it simply wasn't present at the moment of inception.
The Breakthrough
The friction wasn't digital performance, it was physical absence.
85%
Global Brand Awareness
30%
Monthly Activity Gap
95%
Reported User Inspiration
0%
Physical Touchpoints (Prior)
The Insight: Pinterest already owns inspiration in the mind of the consumer. To win, it needed to show up earlier in the journey.
Owning the Insight
Identified the disconnect between where inspiration starts and where Pinterest shows up, reframing the problem from "engagement" to presence of mind.
Building the System
Led the development of an offline-to-online loop, ensuring every physical touchpoint seamlessly drove users back onto the app.
Protecting the Brand
Directed the creative execution to ensure the extension felt like a natural evolution of the careful curated Pinterest ecosystem.
The Pinterest
Magazine
We transformed Pinterest into a tactile experience. The centerpiece is a curated magazine that utilizes to bridges the usage gap by increasing the brands touchpoints.
By scanning physical spreads, users can save real-world inspiration to their digital boards via QR codes.
Contextual
Discovery
Bookstores
Featuring trending titles, genres, and contextual reading lists based on monthly search data.
Coffee Shops
Highlighting seasonal recipes, morning routines, and coffee trends.
Lifestyle Spaces
Curating DIY, fashion, and home inspiration at the point of purchase.
Pinterest became a part of the environment, not a distraction from it.
FINAL TAKEAWAY
Presence Drives Participation
Platforms compete for attention; Pinterest wins by being useful. By aligning the brand with the real-world moments where creativity starts, we transformed the platform's role.
Before
A tool people return to
After
A companion that shows up
Strategic Team