Pinterest is gaining in popularity and has become a platform not just for people to “pin” photos or video of their favorite pets or television shows but also has become a very sought after forum for big brands to connect with their consumers on a more subtle and less promotional basis.
It appears that the brands that connect the most with their followers are those that do not overtly promote themselves and allow their followers to lead the way. According to a recent article in Digiday, “70% of brand engagement on Pinterest is generated by users, not brands themselves.” Unsurprisingly, brands that are doing well are retail brands, such as Nordstrom and L.L. Bean.”
Here are some brands that are “crushing it” on Pinterest!
L.L. Bean: Followers: 5.2 million; Boards: 32: According to Digiday, L.L. Bean’s most popular board is “Woodland Creatures” which has a whopping 4.7 million followers. Interestingly enough, Woodland Creatures has little to do with the L.L. Bean product line as it contains images and videos of wildlife. While the L.L. Bean brand is coveted as an outdoor and back to nature type of company, the boards that get the most attention are those where users pin their own images of pets, outdoor adventures and more. L.L. Bean has a whimsical side as well as there are boards for “selfies” and even a board for L.L. Bean Cats.
Penguin Random House: Followers: 1.5 million; Boards: 72: Econsultancy reports that Random House success goes beyond pinning its own products to the wall…” but rather appeals to book lovers with boards inviting the literati to add in their own thoughts and images regarding their favorite reads. For instance, while there are boards touting Random House latest novels, there are far more boards asking users to speculate on “what would Jane Austen say” or to pick favorites from their book clubs.
Nordstrom: Followers: 4.3 million; Boards: 68: Nordstrom is another respected brand that goes beyond hyping its own product-line and rather provides boards that are of serious interest to its users. Digiday says that its “Garden Wedding Ideas” is its most popular board (with over 4 million followers) as it provides inspiration to future brides – a huge audience for the brand even in its brick and mortar and online stores. Other Nordstrom “…boards range from decor, fashion week, designer curated boards and more for their shoppers to enjoy,” reports Digiday.
Lowe’s: Followers: 3.5 million; Boards: 61: Lowe’s may seem like a home improvement store to most but what many fail to recognize, it is really a large chain of stores that breeds aspiration. Instilling in its customers the “do it yourself” (DIY) spirit, the Lowe’s Pinterest takes on the same fervor and provides its users with a vast array of “creative” ideas for the home (or apartment, condo, deck, backyard, garden, etc.). Lowe’s also allows customers to pin their ideas and feats of home improvement – instilling great loyalty from it followers.
Sony Electronics: Followers: 45,000; Boards: 34: While this Pinterest site clearly does not amass the number of followers of Nordstrom and Lowe’s, it does reach out to its customers with both humor and a “can do” attitude. When one thinks of a popular brand on Pinterest, electronics does not always come to mind – unless of course it is a popular technology product or iOS-related. But Sony manages to break through with such boards as, I Can Haz Gadgets which offers both animal and technophiles a way to pin images of their pets using technology. There are other boards that enable followers to get onboard with Sony’s charities as well as boards for pinning up decorating ideas with electronic products.
Jetsetter: Followers: 4.3 million; Boards: 58: If aspiration is the name of Pinterest game then Jetsetters fits the bill. This site allows its followers to pin images of places they would like to travel to including lovely tropical settings and quaint European towns. Digiday reports that its most popular board Daily Moment of Zen: “It’s no wonder that so many people follow this board, which features beautiful travel photos of breathtaking destinations.” Other Jetsetter boards allow people to pin up images from their own travel as well as suggest activities to other followers going on vacation.
Food Network: Followers: 550,000; Boards: 89: One of the most popular categories on Pinterest is food – after all, who can resist images of the most scrumptious, tastiest treats and drinks? Not sure what to have for dinner – the Food Network Pinterest site offers 71 boards with thousands of images and recipes to whet your appetite. Boards such as “Let’s Get Seasonal” where people pin their favorite recipes to spice up veggies like asparagus or “Lets Cheers” with ideas for delectable cocktails – The Food Network provides a creative not to mention yummy Pinterest site for foodies.
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