Goal

C&A set out with a bold vision: to revolutionise the shopping experience by bringing Pinterest to life in their stores. This wasn't just about turning online inspiration into sales; it was about showcasing C&A as a modern, trend-setting retailer at the forefront of innovation. The challenge was twofold: how to translate Pinterest's rich, trend-driven data into a physical retail boost, and how to create a collaboration that would redefine the in-store experience. With this approach, C&A aimed to shed any perception of being a traditional fashion retailer, instead positioning themselves as an innovative brand that seamlessly blends online trends with offline shopping. 

C&A turned to Pinterest, recognising its unique position as a platform where people actively seek style inspiration and plan their purchases. They wanted to significantly increase store foot traffic, boost sales and elevate brand engagement by tapping into current fashion trends. To do this, they needed to tap into the very trends their customers were already exploring on Pinterest.

Strategy & Results

C&A’s Summer 2024 strategy was built on a foundation of proven success. In November 2023, they partnered with digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising company Ströer and leveraged Pinterest trends data to create eye-catching digital billboards for their holiday campaign. The results were impressive: stores near these Pinterest-inspired billboards saw a 64% increase in visitors and a 12% boost in revenue¹. 

Building on these wins, C&A in Germany implemented an enhanced strategy for Summer 2024 that pushed the integration of Pinterest's digital world with physical retail even further. Leveraging Pinterest's trend data, they identified a surge in searches for "Summer Outfits" and aligned their summer campaign around this insight.

C&A curated Pinterest boards featuring styling inspirations, showcasing their recent editorial-style campaign assets alongside social-first content. The DOOH assets were designed to resemble Pinterest ads, complete with a call-to-action for their stores and a Pinterest Trend Badge. This design leveraged the trust and trend equity associated with Pinterest while driving traffic to physical locations.

The brand created "Pinterest Style Courts" in five select C&A stores. These installations brought Pinterest trends to life, showcasing "Summer Outfit" looks curated from the platform alongside matching C&A products. The stores featured eye-catching window displays, Pinterest tags on relevant products, interactive Pinterest-style mood boards, selfie mirrors and cardboard cutouts, creating an immersive brand experience that bridged online discovery with in-store shopping.

Want to see the campaign in action? Check out the video below.

On Pinterest, C&A leveraged the platform’s powerful ad formats, including the attention-grabbing Premiere Spotlight, alongside video ads, standard ads, Catalogue ads and Trend Badges for a comprehensive, full-funnel campaign. 

The Pinterest campaign helped deliver impressive results, highlighting the effectiveness of C&A's Pinterest strategy and laying the groundwork for in-store success.

The campaign helped drive a substantial 19.7% lift in page visitors². Brand metrics saw remarkable improvements, with excellent results in top-of-mind awareness, Pin awareness, and action intent³. 

These results underscore C&A’s success in bridging the gap between online inspiration and offline action, creating a seamless path from digital discovery to in-store engagement. By effectively leveraging Pinterest's platform, C&A not only boosted their online presence but also set the stage for increased foot traffic and sales in their physical stores.

Resources

Reach Gen Z on Pinterest
Gen Z is Pinterest’s fastest growing audience, and they’re here to shop⁴. Here’s how to reach them.

Pinterest Trends 

Discover how to use Pinterest Trends to inform your marketing strategy and connect with your audience at the right time. Learn more about Pinterest Trends