How Pinterest is Creating the Next Generation of Creative Directors

By: Annabel Adams, Senior Writer Edited by: Tessa Reiner

Young people often sit behind their computers; losing themselves in their Pinterest feeds; meticulously editing their boards to match a very specific vibe. While social media users play this off as typical “moodboarding”, no one talks about how these people are recreationally practicing the role of being a creative director.

The European Institute of Design (IED) defines a creative director as “an essential professional figure in the field of visual communication who operates in various fields such as advertising campaigns, film, and design and plays a leadership role in defining the artistic and communicative direction of a project.” A creative director must convey a brand’s image to the public through social media, campaigns, and advertisements, ensuring a consistent brand image. They must also blend corporate and strategic communication with creative liberty to make sure their brands resonate with customers.

Being a creative director means constantly examining content and branding concepts, and making sure all ideas complement the brand’s storytelling goals. In a Substack post, Seoul-based artist Sujin Lee discusses the responsibilities of a creative director. “[The] Creative/Brand Team shapes how the world sees it,” Lee says. “They’re responsible for the storytelling—the campaigns, branding, visuals, and emotional connection with the audience.”

Pinterest allows users to browse images and create unlimited visual collections displayed on their account, assisting with the demands of a creative director. While users can comment and like pins, those are not necessarily the most popular features of Pinterest. People mainly create pins for the purpose of sharing their images with the public to curate identity for their moodboards. 

Popular Pinterest user prettytaurusbabe has amassed 2.9K followers, and has over 50 public boards published to their account. Their boards display everything from nail sets, makeup, and outfit inspiration to celebrity idols and images of objects and quotes that contribute to the account’s brand. Just by taking a quick look at the account, it becomes clear that the user’s brand is very feminine and luxurious, with focus points on makeup, designer fashion, expensive food and activities, and A-list celebrities.

Fetch Collective interviewed Catherine McCarthy, a senior International Relations student at Syracuse University. McCarthy is the Production Director for Fetch Collective, meaning she’s in charge of conceptualizing photoshoots, finding models, coordinating photographers and choosing locations. She discussed how using Pinterest helps with her role within the process of conceptualizing shoots. 

“I'm going to make sure that [the team] can clearly conceptualize each shoot before we even get on location,” McCarthy said. “I want to make sure I get my point across and everything is just there for you to see with your own eyes before we put it into motion.”

McCarthy has been a frequent Pinterest user long before she even stepped into the Production Director role, which prepared her for her job at Fetch.

“During COVID was when I had almost 400,000 monthly viewers on my Pinterest, so I had kind of known that I had something there. Like I was…not going on Pinterest without a purpose,” McCarthy said. “I knew that the things that I was putting together resonated with other people, so I knew that I could translate that skill into creating great photo shoots for Fetch.”

While it’s easy to just brush all social media usage off as aimless scrolling, Pinterest’s role in the construction of brands shows that it’s not all meaningless. Not every Pinterest user will become a Creative Director, but its usefulness enhances its reputation past being a brain-rotting social media app.

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