Pinterest CPG Promotions Exceed Standard Social ROI Benchmarks, Circana Study Finds
New data from Pinterest and Circana reveals that Pin ads for CPG promotions deliver above-benchmark returns, with most campaigns achieving positive incremental ROI and many exceeding 1.5x.
Pinterest has released new research highlighting the effectiveness of Pin promotions for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, showing that these campaigns outperform standard social media ROI benchmarks. The findings, based on studies commissioned by Pinterest and conducted by Circana, indicate that advertising on the platform can drive meaningful sales uplift.
The research involved 17 matched market tests across multiple regions and product categories, designed to assess how Pin ads influence CPG promotions and shopping behavior. Circana, a leading analytics firm, executed the tests to provide deeper context on the sales impact of Pinterest campaigns.
Key results show that 82% of the campaigns studied generated positive incremental ROI, meaning the incremental sales impact exceeded Pinterest media spend. Furthermore, 76% of campaigns achieved an ROI of 1.5x or higher, demonstrating strong returns for most advertisers.
As Pinterest explained in its announcement: “In everyday terms: if you put $1 into these Pinterest campaigns, most brands got back more than $1, and many got $1.50 or more. That’s awareness translating into measurable business results.”
While the sample size of 17 campaigns is not definitive and does not guarantee every Pinterest campaign will yield positive returns, the data suggests that Pinterest can be a valuable channel for CPG brands seeking to boost awareness and subsequent purchase activity.
The tests also revealed that Pinterest campaigns achieved sales uplift above typical social media benchmarks. Notably, campaigns in the EMEA region saw results that were 17% above Circana’s social benchmark for ROI, underscoring the platform’s effectiveness in that market.
Pinterest attributes these outcomes to its unique platform design: “Pinterest is a visual search platform designed for decisions, which means your ads can show up when people are actively looking for what to do, try or buy next, not after they have already decided. That’s why Pinterest is the #1 social media platform used when shoppers want to seek out a specific idea or product.”
These positive figures suggest that CPG brands should consider Pinterest as part of their promotional strategy, as the platform appears to offer a strong return on investment relative to other social channels.