If your brand hasn’t made the jump to Pinterest yet, the news that it has become the number three social network in the U.S. may have prompted you to reconsider creating an account. But if you’re still unsure of what your brand could do to set itself apart and gain a following on Pinterest, you might find some inspiration in the trend of using pinboards to host contests. Here are two brands in particular that have taken the world of pinning to the next level.
Ann Taylor
Fashion, weddings and Pinterest have been closely intertwined since the beginning, and Ann Taylor is taking advantage of these trends. The brand launched a Pinterest-based contest, offering fans and customers the chance to win a wedding dress or cocktail dresses from their new collection. In order to enter, participants have to pin 8 Ann Taylor-related looks in a wedding inspiration pinboard along with tagging the company in the actual board. The brand will then judge along with Style Me Pretty based on originality, board curation and the use of Ann Taylor products. Obviously the contest has benefits for Ann Taylor fans and customers, but it’s also giving the brand itself the opportunity to have their products, their account and their site circulated throughout the Pinterest-verse. Wedding-themed pins are among the most popular and the most repinned items on the site, so this contest is truly taking advantage of Pinterest and the brand’s strengths.
Peugeot
The automotive maker Peugeot has taken a very creative approach to their pinboards and their Pinterest contests. Once Pinterest allowed users to organize and reorganize their pinboard collection, and assign a cover photo to each board, Peugeot took full advantage of it. The brand often creates a kind of pinboard collection by using the titles of two or three boards to create a concept or statement, and then illustrating it with the boards’ cover photos.
The company is also using pinboards as the basis for photo puzzle contests. Users see a completed photo and then are prompted to find each individual element of the puzzle to pin and recreate that photo. Because the photos are scattered throughout Peugeot’s official site and social sites, it encourages participants to follow, fan and explore the brand’s content.
Has your brand tried hosting a contest with the help of Pinterest? Do you think it’s a tactic that would work for you? Share your thoughts with us! And be sure to explore other brands that are making Pinterest fun.
