Q&A with Kristie Painting, Pinterest's Country Manager

Kristie Painting, Pinterest’s Country Manager

This March, Marketing News Canada is celebrating some of the incredible women in Canada’s business and marketing industries. Profiling their leadership and accomplishments, we are sharing the stories of several of the nation’s most inspirational and influential women in the industry.

Today’s interview is with an empowering woman who is making waves in the social media space.

If you have not already heard of her, meet Kristie Painting.

Last year, Kristie joined Pinterest as its Country Manager for Canada, coming from Wavemaker Canada where she was CEO from 2018 to 2022. With a wealth of expertise driving growth, Kristie has a strong leadership track record and an entrepreneurial mindset.

Here’s what Kristie had to say about how her work is building a positive corner of the internet for consumers and advertisers in Canada.

Q) Pinterest claims that it’s building a positive space on the internet. How is the company doing this?

At our core, Pinterest’s mission is to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love—and we strongly believe this can only be achieved when people feel safe. This is why we’re intentionally building a platform that creates a safe and positive environment for Pinners by leading the industry with products and policies that foster inclusivity, safety and a more positive online experience. For example, we implemented a weight loss ad ban to combat body shaming and dangerous weight loss products and content. We also rolled out an industry-leading climate misinformation policy which made Pinterest the first major digital platform to clearly define guidelines against false or misleading climate change information across content and ads.

We’re also continuously learning, applying and pushing ourselves to be better and in tune with what safe, positive spaces mean and where the gaps are. From unveiling a first-of-its-kind hair pattern search for inclusive beauty results to expanding our compassionate search feature to help improve Pinners’ mood when managing difficult emotions, we’re deliberate about creating more inclusive online experiences and improving our platform through policy decisions and product developments.

Q) Why is positivity relevant for brands to consider when choosing their media channels?

On Pinterest, it pays to be positive – literally. Research shows that when brands appear in a more positive environment, it drives impact at every stage of the purchase funnel. In fact, 60% of consumers say they’re more likely to remember, trust and purchase from brands in positive environments.

Ads are also a welcome part of the experience on Pinterest, rather than a distraction. We work with brands to ensure they show up in contextually relevant searches, so they can be part of a Pinner’s decision making process, which ultimately turns into action as people on Pinterest come with high intent to act. We also know that shoppers on Pinterest spend and buy more, outspending people on other platforms by 2x every month.

Q) Aside from providing a positive environment, why else should brands look to Pinterest?

People come to Pinterest to discover, decide and do – this high intent mindset is unique to the platform and offers huge benefits to brands that are looking to meaningfully connect with their audience when they’re most inspired to act. Pinners are also coming to the platform during key life stages, so brands can reach them when it matters most. And, 97% of searches on Pinterest are unbranded, so brands of all sizes have opportunities to reach the audiences that matter to them.

It’s also important to note that Pinterest isn’t an app people passively scroll through to pass the time. People are on Pinterest to make decisions—whether they’re small like deciding what’s for dinner or big like researching what a home remodel could look like. Brands become a natural and additive part of this decision making process since Pinners are looking for ways to make their ideas into reality. And it pays off as shoppers on Pinterest buy more and outspend people on other platforms by two times every month.

Q) What does success look like for you/Pinterest this year?

Part of my role is ensuring our Canadian Pinners, partners, employees and advertisers can count on us as a positive force for good. It’s good business, and it’s the right thing to do for people’s wellbeing. Pinterest recently released new research conducted with UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, which was also replicated in Canada.The study found that 10 minutes a day of active engagement with inspiring content on Pinterest by Gen Z users buffers against rising burnout, stress and social disconnectedness. There are many other studies over the last five years—commissioned and not— that show that positive spaces like Pinterest have a wide range of benefits for users.

We’re always planning new product launches and initiatives to support the marketing community here in Canada. For example, last month we updated our interactive e-learning program Pinterest Academy for brands to learn how to best use Pinterest to connect with their target audiences and unlock the benefits of the platform. Stay tuned for lots more to come!

Q) On a personal note, what has been your experience working as a woman in tech? Any advice to give to others looking to find their spot in the industry?
My advice would be to focus on organizations that align with your own personal interests and values. For me, I have always been obsessed with Pinterest and am a big time Pinner, so I was a genuine user and fan of the product. On a deeper level, I’m really passionate about Pinterest’s commitment to positivity and continue to be impressed by the host of policies and products that are built in service to it. Seeing first hand the deep accountability and responsibility we have to our end users is so motivating for me, and also for the brands we work with who hold similar values.

Like most women, I’ve seen bias in action over the course of my career. I have made deliberate choices to work with leaders and organizations that have understood the value that I’ve delivered, and fostered my potential. That support has been critical in my career development, and I try to return it to my friends, colleagues, and the next generation. Overall, I believe we need to continually highlight all the amazing women who are taking up space in the industry, and continue to be mentors to each other.

This was an exclusive interview between Marketing News Canada and Kristie Painting, Pinterest’s Country Manager for Canada.