Pin Together, Stay Together: Pinterest and Family Brands

Millennials, the Holy Grail of current marketing, are dedicated Pinterest users. The coveted demographic, which represents more than 1 out of 3 (35 percent) of Pinterest’s 100 million global monthly users, uses the wildly successful discovery tool as a guide to big events and helpful tips and tricks for everyday moments, especially in passion-point categories such as beauty, fashion, and food. Of particular interest to marketers: 75 percent of all content Pinners save comes from businesses, offering the opportunity to showcase brands and products where they are actively sought out.

These and other proprietary insights regarding how to tap into the marketing potential of Pinterest were part of an exclusive webinar today for members of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Alliance for Family Entertainment (AFE). The presentation, given by Pinterest Head of Partnerships, West Region Bill Watkins, is part of an ongoing series of knowledge seminars for the coalition’s members, which include the biggest family brands in the U.S. The webinar was hosted by AFE Chair Stephen Quinn, former EVP, CMO of Walmart (ranked No. 7 U.S. CMO in 2015 by ExecRank.)

For Millennials, including parents, Pinterest is a powerful resource for discovery and inspiration,” Quinn said. “It’s a major tool in how they organize and manage their daily lives, including what brands are best for them. For our members, the platform is a direct connection to what are arguably our most-important consumers.”

“Since Pinterest launched in 2010, we’ve helped Pinners plan important projects, develop their style and find new ideas to try in their everyday lives,” added Watkins. “Pinners might find something they love while scrolling through their home feed or using Pinterest search. Brands’ content plays a central role on Pinterest and no other platform has a more receptive audience.”

Other key findings presented at the webinar, based on a study of monthly active users include:

•     Seventy-nine percent of Millennial Pinners say the platform “is a guide to life and is a place to teach me how to do things,” versus 71 percent of all Pinterest monthly users.
•     Eighty-four percent of Millennial Pinners say Pinterest is where they search and discover things related to health and fitness, compared with 64 percent of Pinterest users overall.
•     Sixty-six percent of Millennials use Pinterest for baby and parenting search and discovery, compared to 45 percent of total Pinterest users.
•     Eighty percent of Millennials say that Pinterest “helps me find things I want to buy.”
•     Seventy-two percent of Millennial Pinners say the network “helps me connect with brands I love.”
•     Seventy-one percent of Millennials say the platform “recommends relevant products to buy.”

The presentation is the latest in a series of initiatives supporting the AFE’s strategy to showcase key digital platforms. Past webinar presentations and partners have included Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and Yahoo!.

“Families, like everyone else in our society, depend on digital technology in every aspect of their lives,” concluded Bob Liodice, ANA president and CEO. “However, change comes so fast that insight is a constantly moving target. The AFE is a critical source of tools to succeed in a fluid and sometimes bewildering landscape, and this webinar series is an important way for our advertisers to keep in step with consumers.”