Is that Begonia or Dishy Coral? Sherwin-Williams matches Pinterest colors to paints

This integration — developed with IBM-owned Resource/Ammirati — is the product of paying attention to basic consumer behaviors, said Meghan Vickers, director of e-business marketing for Sherwin-Williams. People use Pinterest boards — be they travel, food, and interior design photography — for color inspiration. “It’s a behavior our users already have. Once the API was made available by Pinterest, it seemed like a natural fit for us,” said Vickers.

Pinners can only access this color-matching feature once they have downloaded the ColorSnap app. While brand awareness and app downloads are important to Sherwin-Williams, Vickers thinks that they are by-products of a useful tool or experience.

Color is a critical source for information. People make their minds within 90 seconds of their initial interactions with products, and approximately 62 to 90 percent of their assessment is based on colors alone, according to a study called “Impact of Color on Marketing”from University of Winnipeg. Therefore, the use of colors can influence consumers’ feelings — positively or negatively — about a brand.

Sherwin-Williams is hardly the first brand that offers color-matching experiences. IKEA, for example, debuted a VR app this month where users can play around with the cabinet and drawer colors for three different kitchens, and then view the kitchen from the height of an adult. Sephora, on the other hand, initiated the Color IQ program to help shoppers find the foundation and concealer that’s the best fit for their skins.

Beyond Sherwin-Williams, color-matching on visual platforms like Pinterest presents a marketing opportunity for brands across industry verticals, simply because it’s interactive and immersive, said Joseph Anthony, CEO of agency HERO Group. A furniture company, for example, can showcase their designs with multiple colors, while a nail polish brand like OPI can encourage users to pick up their favorite color.

The ColorSnap Visualizer integration will be available for Android users later this month. For the time being, Sherwin-Williams doesn’t plan to expand this initiative to Instagram. “We consider each platform on its own terms. On Instagram, we are seeing exciting content via our #SWColorLove tag, and have an avid community there eager to share their Sherwin-Williams paint projects,” said Vickers. “We want to be in the right places, but also in the right ways.”