Pinterest is a visual social discovery network. You create online pinboards (like a bulletin board) for various categories (i.e. “dream home” or “things to buy” or “recipes”), and you “pin” items to it. According to a research report, about 70% of pinners are women. So companies that target women as their main consumers are more likely to create a profile on Pinterest. As many companies are trying to figure out how to leverage Pinterest as a platform for marketing, Whole Foods has successfully conveyed to the users “what is behind the brand.”

Started in July 2011, Whole Foods was one of the first brands on the site. So far, it has pinned nearly 700 pins across its 22 boards. Michael Bepko, Global online community manager for Whole Foods, indicated “It allows us to curate images from across the web that really speak to who we are as a company, images that reflect our core values and essentially communicate the essence of who we are.”

In terms of company culture, Whole Foods demonstrates:

• Caring about the community and the environment
• Promoting healthy eating and education to our stakeholders
• Selling the highest quality organic and natural foods available
• Creating ongoing win-win partnerships with our suppliers

“It’s so easy, it’s so uncluttered and by browsing the images, you can create an emotional connection with somebody around something that you have a shared interest in,” Michael Bepko commented.

I believe Whole Food’s intention is not to promote the organic vegetables that are sold in the stores but to show people the lifestyle it advocates. And by creating a sustainable and healthy lifestyle, Whole Foods may change pinners into loyal customers.

To check out Whole Foods on Pinterest, please click https://www.pinterest.com/wholefoods/