Pinterest Showcases the Resiliency of Its Users in New Spot

As people isolated at home are using streaming platforms or copying choreographed TikTok dances for entertainment, Pinterest is hoping that its current and potential "Pinners" will lean on its app for encouragement at a distance. Last week, Pinterest unveiled Stay Inspired, an uplifting video created with 72andSunny featuring visuals based on actual searches provoked by the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic. Aptly titled pinboards that have emerged during the pandemic, such as "Don't Panic," "Things To Say to Scared Kids" and "Staying Close From Afar," are displayed throughout the 60-second spot. Content also appears within these post collections, including videos of parents trying to keep children distracted and DIY face mask tutorials. The spot ends with a message that heartens viewers to stay in and stay inspired with Pinterest. Pinterest CMO Andréa Mallard introduced the new video in a blog post on the site and discussed why the way people have been using Pinterest to cope with COVID-19 is giving her hope, and how these behaviors have motivated Pinterest to release more features to elevate the user experience. [kickout id="1"] "Searches on Pinterest are up 55% vs. the same time last year, helping Pinners find inspiration on billions of queries," Mallard said. "New board creation is also up, by nearly 45%. But the reasons people are creating new boards and searching say a lot about the kind of people who use the platform and, I believe, about the spirit and resilience of humanity in general." For the past six weeks, consumer behavior on Pinterest has changed as people have sought out how to create a new normal amid COVID-19 by asking questions about how to cut their own hair or cook great meals from pantry cans. Users were most focused on triaging the most important areas of their lives: family, health, home and work, Mallard said. These searches spurred the launch of the Today Tab on March 24, which serves as a "source of daily inspiration with curated topics and trending Pins that make it easier to explore popular and timely ideas," according to Pinterest. The in-app feature—available on iOS and Android devices—also highlights expert information from the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and showcases categories that are gaining momentum around the world such as kid-friendly baking ideas and self-care tips. The company also found that shortly after the viral outbreak disrupted the United States, searches like "stress relief" tripled throughout March. This led Pinterest to "roll out compassionate search," Mallard said. Searching for terms like "calming quotes" from Pinterest's site on your desktop computer or phone will pull up a new page that presents relevant and curated guided activities. Experts from Brainstorm, the Stanford Lab for Mental Health Innovation, mental health service Vibrant Emotional Health and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline were all consulted for the exercises. The emergence of COVID-19 and the subsequent dissemination of misinformation also steered Pinterest to introduce a feature that myth busts by promoting coronavirus-related posts from the WHO's verified Pinterest account. Mallard said she is most pleased that "Pinners are shifting really quickly to looking outwards," an attitude that is promoted throughout the campaign video. She also said that searches for how to help others, how to celebrate others and thank others, with searches for "doctor gift ideas" or unexpected care package ideas to "cheer up a friend," have all doubled in recent weeks in the U.S. Pinterest's video is now live across its platform and on the brand's Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages.

Coronavirus

Pinterest Is Encouraging Users to Stay Inspired While Staying In

The platform teamed up with 72andSunny for an uplifting new spot

Mónica Marie Zorrilla

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Mónica Marie Zorrilla