Pinterest recasts itself as tool for search marketing

New York

AT the recent advertising conference in Cannes, France, Pinterest announced its presence with zeal and whimsy.

Up and down the festival's main boulevard, displays showcased new technology that allows users to search the digital scrapbook site using pictures taken on their smartphones. It claimed a beachfront space for the week and called it Pinterest Pier, a place where colourful signs highlighted the company's popularity among its users and the potential that represented for brands. Refreshments based on popular Pinterest posts were served, complete with physical cards that mimicked their appearance online.