Not just Facebook: New social platforms ramp up ANZ presence

Dean Blake

15th Aug 2019

Pinterest is opening an office in Sydney, Australia, to better service brands and users across the Australia and New Zealand region.

The platform is already working with Myer, Woolworths and furniture retailer Domain, and looking to grow the number of businesses that use its ad products and platform to reach customers.

“I’m excited to work closely with businesses of all sizes in Australia and New Zealand to help them reach their audiences on Pinterest,” Carin Lee-Skelton, newly appointed country manager, said. 

Lee-Skelton has managed sales organisations at Pinterest in the UK for the past four years. 

“People go on Pinterest to try new things like outfit ideas, recipes, beauty looks, dream trips and even home remodels. As people come to Pinterest full of intent, businesses have a unique opportunity to inspire them to bring their ideas to life.”

ANZ users save nearly four million ideas to Pinterest each day, the platforms says, giving businesses a chance to reach an audience that is engaged in what to do or buy next. 

The office highlights the platform’s dedication to the ANZ region, after opening a Singaporean office in July, as well as a Tokyo office in 2013. 

According to Pinterest global head of sales Jon Kaplan, the business has been working behind the scenes for the last year to scale its teams and meet advertiser demand. 

“We’ve launched ads, such as in Australia and New Zealand, as well as expanding our ads business into new markets,” Kaplan said.

“With Carin’s proven industry knowledge and years of experience driving results for brands on Pinterest, we’re looking forward to further developing the opportunities for businesses in Australia and New Zealand with a local team under her leadership.”

Tik Tok, a Chinese-owned video-sharing app, is also about to open its first Australian office as it gains traction among brands, industry sources say, and is said to be in the process of establishing a dedicated local team.

The new office, most likely to be located in Sydney, is expected to be operational by the end of the year.