With lockdown restrictions easing an ever-increasing range of brands have tapped into the welcome narrative that at long last  ‘plans are back’. Yet research from Pinterest underlines that for many consumers’ across the globe, while their relationship with plans changed, they were never in fact put on hold. 

Clearly 2020 was a year in which from travel to shopping on the high street, to careers and socialising many parts of life came to a halt. Yet notably the one thing that wasn’t on pause was consumers desire to make plans for a brighter future. The very act of making plans became a leisure pursuit in its own right, in the midst of the pandemic which placed unprecedented restrictions on consumers' lives. 

The reassurance provided by planning

Yet in the wake of so much uncertainty planning for the future provides a much-needed respite from the here and now. This trend was particularly strong amongst Gen Z pinners; who use Pinterest in a different way to other platforms: to plan for the future, rather than post about the past. 

Notably, this trend is not just about planning shiny new travel plans once restrictions are lifted. Pinterest’s research shows this is a generation planning for a more sustainable and equitable future for all. They are planning their lives around social issues and inspiring movements. Among Gen Z, searches for ‘gender equality’ increased five-fold year on year, ‘mental health check in’ also increased year on year, while ‘body positive’ ideas were up 9-fold year on year.

Across the board the range of consumers coming to Pinterest to plan for the future increased in 2020. In July last year Pinterest topped 400 million monthly active users - a growth driven by Gen Z, men and Millennials. In 2020 the number of men on Pinterest grew by 50% year on year. (Women still make up 60% of the platform globally.)

Louise Richardson, director of marketing for Europe at Pinterest, says that while people have always come to Pinterest to save ideas and plan for the future,  it was really interesting to see how that manifested itself even more over the past year. She explains: “There was all the immediate, practical stuff like how can I design my work from home space; how do I feed myself lunch; and how on earth do I keep my kids engaged while I’m on a video call,”

Yet alongside that utility content and the struggle to solve the numerous and at times unsolvable problems of the pandemic (no it's not possible to work from home full time while homeschooling young children), users still found the time and the hope to plan for a brighter future.

As Richardson explains: “People also came to Pinterest for their souls and found inspiration on how to use these times to try new things, rethinking how they will live their values out in the world, and find a positive space on the internet away from misinformation and judgement.”

The world stopped, but plans didn’t 

It's a fundamentally hopeful insight for brands, business and individuals alike; for as the world stopped; Pinterest’s research shows that plans kept going.  “What we found was that people making plans for the future didn’t stop - travel ideas, celebration inspiration, and festival fashion searches remained high as Pinterest became a place to imagine what a post-lockdown world might look like,” adds Richardson.

This search for hope and desire to plan ahead for a better future was a trend which manifested itself on a global scale. As Richardson adds: “Our audience grew by 100 million people globally in the past year - with Gen Z and men leading a lot of that growth - precisely because Pinterest is the inspirational space to try new things, take immediate action on ideas and plan for the future you want to manifest.”

Spontaneity and surprise 

As lockdown restrictions ease in some parts of the globe; consumers are beginning to make plans in the real world once more. To look forward to manifesting those plans; even when that involves planning ahead; pre-booking tables, often outside, mentally juggling risk vs. reward scenarios on a daily basis. Remembering to pick up their face masks and socially distance themselves at the school gates. Plans are back; but with these plans comes responsibility. 

It is a shift which is recognised in Pinterest’s new campaign, created by Droga 5, which underlines plan’s in themselves are not enough. For in the midst of the hope of 2021 consumers need the space for surprise and spontaneity experiences that have perhaps become more valuable in the midst of the global pandemic. A desire encapsulated by the campaign’s strapline: You just might surprise yourself.”

As Richardson explains: “We’ve all described 2020 as the year of uncertainty. So as we emerge, people want to take back control and they are actively choosing positivity - and serendipity.”

This search for positivity extends to the context in which advertising appears. As Richardson says: “In terms of positivity, they want to choose media environments and brands that inspire them, engaging with content that is positive, brings joy and makes them want to try new things for themselves.”

This desire for serendipity not only underpins this campaign; but is a core trend for marketers and agencies more broadly to recognise and respond to, as  a post-pandemic world becomes more than just a figment of our imaginations. As Richardson explains: “ People are turning away from doom scrolling through the usual content - they want a place to open them up to new experiences, where the more they explore, the more they discover. We want to bring people the inspiration to create a life they love and more often than not, that means inspiring you to try something new and giving you the confidence to try more.”

Confidence that in the short-term plans are back, but in the long term spontaneity and serendipity will make the creative comeback we all need.