Interview: Pinterest MD on turning home trends into reality with its Primark collab

Primark has long been a leader in providing affordable, on-trend home décor, but its latest collaboration with Pinterest brings a new level of innovation.

By tapping into Pinterest’s real-time trend data, the high street retailer has launched three new collections—Cosy Cottage, Minamaluxe, and Dainty Décor— inspired by trending homeware searches on the platform.

These collections can now be found more than 100 stores, as well as across 70 store windows, with Pinterest-powered visuals promoting the range.

“The partnership with Primark is a perfect fit for us,” says Pinterest UK head of retail Heather Clark.

“Pinterest is all about inspiration. People come to us to discover new ideas, and Primark has the products that allow them to bring those ideas to life affordably and stylishly.

“When you combine Pinterest’s powerful search capabilities with Primark’s trend-led, budget-friendly homeware, it creates a seamless experience.”

According to recent consumer research from the platform, 86% of UK adults expect to spend money on small home décor updates and Pinterest has become a go-to place for discovering these kinds of inspirations, and Primark is leveraging this to its advantage.

But it’s not just about inspiration; it’s about making that inspiration actionable.

“The goal here is to inspire people, then help them take that next step,” Clark explains. “With Pinterest, users can save collages—curated collections of Pins—which they can then use as shopping lists. It’s a seamless transition from inspiration to purchase.”

Pinterest users are saving these collages at twice the rate of other Pins, showing just how much engagement these mood boards drive.

“Home décor is one of the categories where we’ve seen the most growth in engagement,” Clark adds. “We know from our data that users are saving more ideas, creating these visual collages, and they’re more likely to buy when they’ve done that.”

Pinterest UK data shows that more than 12 million users engage with home décor content, with rising searches for terms like ‘cosy cottage bedroom’ (+170%) and ‘whimsical bedroom’ (+130%).

Bridging the digital and physical divide

It’s clear that the Pinterest x Primark collaboration is about more than just online inspiration.

“What makes this partnership so exciting is how it marries the digital and physical worlds,” Clark says.

“Primark has a strong presence on the high street, and we’re bringing that in-store experience to life with Pinterest Collages and in-store activations.”

Pinterest is integrating product recommendations directly into its Collages, allowing users to see exactly where they can purchase what they’ve pinned.

In stores, Primark’s new homeware collections will be showcased in a way that directly mirrors what users have been pinning online.

“Shoppers no longer have to go online and search around to find the items they’ve been inspired by,” Clark notes.

“They can walk into a Primark store and instantly spot the pieces they’ve saved to their boards, making it easier than ever to bring their Pinterest dreams to life.”

The retailer is also hosting a series of in-store Pinterest Collage masterclasses throughout March, hosted in its flagship stores in London, Belfast, Liverpool, and Glasgow.

The power of Pinterest data

As the digital space becomes increasingly crowded, data plays a crucial role in shaping retail strategies. Pinterest has been at the forefront of using artificial intelligence to offer highly personalized shopping experiences.

“Our AI doesn’t just give you random suggestions. It analyses your interactions, the visuals you save, and makes highly accurate predictions about what you might love next,” Clark says.

“Pinterest is a visual discovery engine, and that’s what sets us apart,” she notes, explaining that, “97% of Pinterest searches are unbranded. People aren’t necessarily looking for a specific product—they’re just looking for inspiration”.

“We can give users exactly what they’re looking for and introduce them to things they didn’t even know they wanted,” Clark says.

The platform introduced a ‘Shop the Look’ feature in 2017, a tool allows users to easily find and shop similar items from a Pin or Collage, making the transition from inspiration to purchase seamless.

This data-driven approach is already yielding results for advertisers, with Pinterest seeing outbound clicks to advertisers grow by 90% in Q4 of 2024.

“The click-through rate is off the charts because of how relevant the content is. People are more likely to click on something they feel matches their style or aesthetic,” Clark explains.

This has opened up huge opportunities for brands, and the Primark collaboration is just the beginning.

“We’re seeing an incredible response to this [Primark] campaign, and the numbers show that people are not just being inspired—they’re acting on it,” Clark explains.

Pinterest’s ability to inspire and drive purchase intent has already seen success with several major retailers, including brands like Asos and Ikea.

Asos has leveraged Pinterest’s visual discovery engine for its campaigns, using data-driven insights to highlight trending fashion items. Similarly, Ikea has used Pinterest to promote its products through targeted mood boards and inspiration pins, effectively blending inspiration with shopping.

Pinterest’s ability to inspire and drive purchase intent is redefining how retailers and brands engage with consumers.

Pinterest’s role in shaping retail’s future

So, what’s next for Pinterest? The answer is clear: more integrations, more partnerships, and more innovation.

“This collaboration with Primark is just one example of what’s possible when you combine inspiration with shopping,” Clark says.

“We’ll continue to work with brands that understand the power of combining digital and physical shopping experiences to drive more seamless and engaging retail experiences for consumers.”

As for the future of shopping, Clark sees Pinterest as a key player in making it more personalised and intuitive. “We are always looking to evolve and improve the way people shop.”

“By tapping into data, creativity, and real-time trends, Pinterest is perfectly positioned to continue driving this shift in the retail space,” she says.

For retailers looking to stay ahead of the curve, Clark’s advice is simple: “Embrace the power of inspiration. Understand what your customers want, and make it easy for them to find it.”

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