Pinterest tells brands to spark offline action, not infinite scrolls

Pinterest released a marketing playbook urging brands to inspire offline activity. With Gen Z scrolling fatigue rising, aligning with action-mode content may help ads be less ignored and more trusted.

What happened

Pinterest released a marketing playbook outlining how to inspire offline activity instead of encouraging infinite scrolling. The company is continuing its broader push to distance itself from other social media apps, releasing a new report that highlights how younger users increasingly want to use online connections to fuel offline experiences.

According to Pinterest, 40% of Generation Z users said they wish social media had never been invented, and 63% of Gen Z adults want to unplug in a more intentional way. Pinterest said this trend shows up in its own platform data. The report points to year-on-year jumps in searches such as “things to do instead of scrolling” +365%, “analogue aesthetic” +260% and “dumb phone” +150%. There have also been increases in offline inspiration searches like “travel sticker collection display ideas” +74%, “coffee station ideas party” +624% and “bedazzle headphones” +1,233%.

Pinterest said most social platforms design their systems to keep users locked into a loop of continuous scrolling in order to maximize ad revenue. The company wants to change that because it believes a different approach can deliver a better user and advertiser experience.

“When people are stuck in the loop, passively scrolling, they’re browsing a continuous feed without a clear goal or time limit,” Pinterest said. “And in this context, ads don’t land — they become part of the scroll, and are more likely to be ignored than acted upon. But when people are in a more intentional mode online, they’re using technology to help them take action and make decisions in their real lives. In action mode, brands are less likely to be ignored, and more likely to be purchased, trusted and remembered.”

Key facts

• Pinterest released a marketing playbook focused on inspiring offline activity rather than encouraging infinite scrolling.
• 40% of Generation Z users said they wish social media had never been invented, and 63% of Gen Z adults want to unplug in a more intentional way.
• Pinterest reported year-on-year search jumps including “things to do instead of scrolling” +365%, “analogue aesthetic” +260% and “dumb phone” +150%.
• Offline inspiration searches also rose: “travel sticker collection display ideas” +74%, “coffee station ideas party” +624% and “bedazzle headphones” +1,233%.
• Pinterest told advertisers to “set them free” once users find what they are looking for, rather than trapping them in the experience.

Our analysis

Pinterest’s playbook matters because it formalizes an alternative to the standard attention economy model. Most platforms optimize for time on site, making passive scrolling the default. Pinterest is telling marketers that ads in that default mode “don’t land” and are “more likely to be ignored than acted upon.” If brands want to avoid being ignored, the reported data suggests they need to reach users who are already in action mode—searching with a specific real-life goal.

This is different from familiar platform advice. Rather than asking advertisers to keep users engaged for longer, Pinterest explicitly says to let them go after they find what they came for. That creates a different content brief: a Pin is not a retention tool, it is a bridge to an offline action. For social media managers and creators, the implication is likely that content needs to answer a specific intent and then stop. Content that drags users back into another loop may undermine trust.

The Gen Z figures are also a warning signal. If 40% of Generation Z users wish social media had never been invented, audiences may increasingly reward platforms and brands that respect their time. Brands that align with this shift could earn trust; brands that continue optimizing only for scroll time may find their ads treated as part of the background.

What it means for operators

• Audit Pins for real-life next steps. Review whether each Pin gives a clear offline action—a recipe, a DIY step, a place to visit—rather than just another saved image. Use reported rising searches such as “things to do instead of scrolling” to shape topics.
• Show product impact in the real world. Pinterest says brands can align by showcasing brand values and the impact products have on real life. Make that visible in Pin copy and landing pages, not just product shots.
• Build campaign themes around action-mode search jumps. Treat reported increases like “coffee station ideas party” +624% and “bedazzle headphones” +1,233% as signals of where users are already looking for offline inspiration.
• Design a “set them free” end point. Once users find what they want, let them go. Avoid trapping them with forced loops or excessive retargeting. Provide the answer and make the next step easy to complete outside the app.