- Pinterest and Real Simple magazine are partnering on a fully shoppable issue that will feature more than 120 products ranging from cookware to undergarments to furnishings.
- The issue, themed “Best & Brightest,” will feature QR codes for each section of the magazine that will take users to corresponding Pinterest Boards where they can shop the products featured in the pages or save them on their own boards for later.
- The partnership leverages Pinterest’s “Red Standard” program, which helps publishers use Pinterest as an extension of their publishing business and provides incentives to boost Pins and offset distribution costs.
The partnership sprung out of Pinterest’s 2022 partnership with Apartment Therapy, which used QR codes for an in-real-life activation that allowed consumers to follow boards and easily return to purchase items from the pop-up, The approach was beneficial to the brand because it enabled consumers to remain engaged with the experience without needing to scan multiple QR codes to make purchases.
“Pinterest sees the value in this initiative as it’s allowing the platform to test a new format, bridging the print world with shopping on Pinterest. We want the audience of the magazine to be introduced to the shoppability of Pinterest in a way that feels additive to the experience,” said Malik Ducard, chief content officer at Pinterest. “Pinterest is better positioned than ever to do these types of collaborations because we can measure our role in the consumer journey, from the moment of inspiration to the last click.”
QR codes have been an important element of Pinterest’s success. The company has used them in grocery stores to drive consumers to recipes and at events like Coachella to direct festival-goers to inspiration boards. That success led the company to believe it would work well for Real Simple, Ducard said.
