The news: Pinterest is making the case that positivity-based branding pays off—and that Pinterest is the go-to place for advertisers to interact with consumers in a positive setting.

• 20% of users are more emotionally engaged with content on platforms deemed positive, spending 15% more time looking at ads, per a Magna study commissioned by Pinterest.
• Platforms viewed as positive spaces amplified ad performance across several key metrics. Positive platforms boosted user intent by 35%, improved brand favorability by 49%, and heightened brand preference by 44%.
• Test subjects were more likely to take action when viewing ads on “positive” platforms. Positive platforms were determined to be up to 94% more impactful in driving purchase intent than platforms deemed non-positive—though the study did not specify which platforms qualified as such.
• When the same ad was shown on different platforms, viewers “responded that an ad seen in an environment they viewed as positive was twice as trustworthy, twice as interesting and 1.5 times more likeable.”

Yes, but: It’s important to note that the study did not specify how many respondents found Pinterest to be the most positive platform of the ones shown.

Still, the test is aligned with Pinterest’s push to be seen as a more positive social media platform compared to the likes of Meta and TikTok. “We’re going further toward inspiration and positivity,” Pinterest’s content officer Malik Ducard told MediaPost. “We built our platform around this idea. It’s foundational for us: optimizing for healthier outcomes for collaboration, versus viral or ephemeral experiences.”

How is Pinterest performing? Relatively well, but not on par with giants like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. If the platform can convince advertisers that it’s a positive place to be, it could get a much-needed boost.

• Pinterest’s ad revenues are growing steadily, expected to reach $3.86 billion in the US by 2027.
• Pinterest is benefiting from uncertainty surrounding a potential TikTok ban in the US. As TikTok’s CPMs have sharply declined, Pinterest’s have skyrocketed, growing 120% YoY, per an AdRoll report.

Our take: Positivity-based branding is essential in an era of volatility and contention across many social platforms—but to be successful, advertisers need to understand how to identify and capitalize on positive spaces.

• Advertisers must identify user sentiment by platform. This requires a multi-pronged approach that involves tracking metrics like comments and click-through rates and, for Pinterest specifically, repins and saves. It also necessitates that brands take interest in communicating with users through feedback surveys, customer interviews, and an analysis of social media mentions.
• Brands must also pay attention to platform governance and moderation. Pinterest does have a detailed content moderation process, and advertisers should assess processes across platforms through clarity of community guidelines and response to harmful content.
• To be successful, advertisers need to create ads that match a platform’s positive energy, implementing authentic messages, participating in user conversations, and highlighting the brand’s social impact.