BMW and Pinterest give UK consumers an immersive 360 viewing experience

UK consumers are looking on Pinterest for help planning more than ever and they want to focus on things they can control. The auto industry has merged into the fast lane to reach car buyers on Pinterest as the auto category continues to rise on the platform.

People come to Pinterest for new ideas as they actively consider what to do or buy next, and recent research indicates that this is now extending to more investment purchases such as buying a new car. The increased engagement with auto-related ideas gives brands the opportunity to reach Pinterest users as they start thinking about what kind of car they want to buy next. In fact, car shoppers who use Pinterest are 28% more likely to buy a new car within the first 90 days of a release compared to people who don’t use Pinterest (Oracle Data Cloud).

British consumers are more likely to turn to the digital world for their car shopping, as they look for inspired online shopping experiences to replace the joy of test driving a new car or touching the leather of the seats. Findings from a recent study indicate that 3 in 5 Pinterest users who have shopped for a car in the last year or intend to in the next year have discovered cars they’d love to buy in the future on Pinterest (Nielsen Path to Purchase 2020, UK). One third have actually gone on to make a purchase after seeing branded car content on Pinterest, and two thirds feel positive towards branded car content on the platform.

Buying a new car is often connected to big life moments such as buying a home, getting married and having children, and on Pinterest, car brands have the opportunity to reach potential customers as they are searching for ideas for these new projects and starting to think about what kind of car they want to buy next.

BMW in particular is adapting to new ways to reach consumers and inspire car buyers with compelling content and activations on Pinterest. For the launch of their 4 Series Coupé, BMW developed an interactive and immersive experience on Pinterest, allowing users to have a 360 view of the latest model. Pinterest users will be able to discover key features inside the new 4 Series when they navigate the 360 Experience and select different hotspots. BMW is the first auto brand to utilise Pinterest’s Pin Extension feature, an ad solution that gives consumers an immersive brand experience within Pinterest’s in-app browser, simply by swiping up within a regular Promoted Pin.

“We know nothing compares to test-driving a beautiful new car in real life. But with lockdown restrictions meaning this wasn’t possible, we think we found the next best alternative. Car lovers can now explore the latest 4 Series model with 360 views of the inside and outside, from the comfort of their homes.”
Fiona Jones, Marketing Manager at BMW UK.

The work was created by FCB Inferno with media by Wavemaker.