Bloomington, Minn., is only the fifth-largest city in Minnesota, but it’s home to the largest enclosed shopping center in the country. And the Mall of America, as it happens, is now home to the largest Pinterest board in the country, if not the world, courtesy of another Minnesota entity, Caribou Coffee.
“It’s so big — a six-foot man only takes up half of that first pin,” said Michele Vig, vp of marketing for Caribou Coffee. “People were standing there saying it’s awesome. It’s five stories tall at Mall of America.”
We built a 64-ft tall Pinterest Board at @Mallof America to celebrate Real Inspiration Blend. #CaribouInspires pic.twitter.com/9ycDLwXjc9
— Caribou Coffee (@Caribou_Coffee) February 4, 2014
The board, created with the help of Colle+Mcvoy, has two video screens (decorated to look like pins) that feature user-generated content. Users who tweet images or videos of themselves to #CaribouInspires will be displayed onscreen over the next week — whether they’re in the mall or not. Shoppers who are actually in the mall can stop by a Caribou photo booth for selfies. There’s also a larger-than-life Caribou Coffee mug, perfect for putting babies in.
@Caribou_Coffee kids chillin in a cup of Caribou Coffee at MOA #CaribouInspires #InspireCaribou pic.twitter.com/O3qkX69aws — Seth Kulics (@SKulics) February 6, 2014
Driving this hullabaloo is a campaign for Caribou’s newest caffeinated offering, the Real Inspiration Blend. Caribou staffers will be on duty, handing out samples to passersby, since people still can’t sample drinks digitally. Yet.
If you’re unable to make it to the mall and you like looking at coffee photos online, you’re in luck. Caribou does have a Pinterest board set up for #Caribouinspires. Tweet the hashtag at them, and they’ll retweet you to their 57,00o followers. The campaign has been live since Tuesday, though only 338 people have used the hashtag so far. The sentiment is more than 75 percent positive, though, according to social tracking site Topsy.
But for now, it’s all about the board.
“We engage with people digitally all the time through Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest,” said Vig. “We wanted to bring the digital world and real world in one space.”
The board, which will be on display until Feb. 13, will also serve as a place for partner events, like a fashion show with the sportswear brand, Athleta.
Abra our fearless leader today at HOT SESSIONS for #CaribouInspires and #AthletaMOA Spring Line pic.twitter.com/nem6nVr1vE — Athleta MOA (@Athleta_MOA) February 3, 2014
More in Marketing
Some creators say brands are delaying their holiday deals later than ever this year
After front-loading budgets in the first half of the year, brands strike last-minute deals with creators ahead of the holiday shopping season.
Agency new business crunch now permanent, say execs
Agencies report unreasonable deadlines and time commitments from clients are becoming more common, while new research reveals marketer and agency despair at pitch process.
How one Midwestern department stores sees itself as a ‘hidden gem’ for ‘Instagram brands’
Iowa-based Von Maur considers itself an underdog among department stores. But the retailer says it has unique qualities that are attracting hip brands like Dagne Dover, Ana Luisa and Lulus.