Kahlúa
Kahlúa taps into Pinterest’s Cafécore trend to captivate coffee lovers.
Goal
The evolution of coffee from morning necessity to creative medium spurred Pinterest to highlight Cafécore as a major 2024 trend. For Kahlúa, this presented the perfect opportunity to shake up traditional drinking occasions and position themselves as more than just another bottle on the bar shelf.
Aiming to establish themselves as the UK's #1 coffee liqueur and increase brand awareness by 2%, Kahlúa partnered with Pinterest to tap into this trend. The platform's prediction proved spot-on: Pinterest users were searching for sophisticated coffee experiences, and with UK users actively seeking hosting inspiration1, Pinterest offered the perfect audience of ambitious, social millennials (ages 28-43) who could elevate their gatherings with Kahlúa’s signature Espresso Martini.
Strategy
With their "Friday called, it's bored of wine" campaign, Kahlúa developed a strategic approach to own the Cafécore conversation on Pinterest. They combined Spotlight placements in both Homefeed and Search to achieve maximum reach, while showcasing their playful brand personality through engaging creative.
The campaign featured eye-catching video and static ads that brought coffee cocktails to life, from classic espresso martinis to indulgent white Russians and frozen mudslides. By leveraging both premium Spotlight placements and standard ads, Kahlúa maintained consistent visibility while reaching Pinterest users during key planning moments for social occasions.
"Spotlight placements helped us connect with people planning their social gatherings. By tapping into Pinterest's Cafécore trend, we were able to showcase our cocktails in a fresh, creative way that resonated with our audience."
Ciaran Hayes
Brand manager, Pernod Ricard
Results
The campaign successfully broke through to audiences across different age groups, performing in the top 20% of all UK alcohol campaigns on Pinterest2. Among their core demographic of 25-34 year olds, Pin awareness increased by 8.7 percentage points, while action intent rose by 2.6 percentage points with the valuable 50+ audience2.
Notably, the campaign drove a 9.2 percentage point increase in brand association amongst coffee liqueur drinkers, helping Kahlúa stand out in the competitive category2. The strategic use of placements proved particularly effective, with Spotlight Homefeed driving campaign memorability while Spotlight Search boosted intent and favorable brand perceptions2.
8.7% increase in Pin awareness among 25-34 year olds2
Resources
Pinterest Predicts
Learn how to leverage Pinterest Predicts trends to align your brand with emerging consumer interests. Explore the 2024 Cafécore trend and other predictions that could benefit your brand.
Spotlight Placements
Discover how to use Pinterest Spotlight ads in both Homefeed and Search to drive brand awareness and consideration. Learn best practices for combining these premium placements with standard ads.