Pinterest has shared guidance on how advertisers can refresh their creative for Q5, the week between Christmas and New Year’s. On Pinterest, this is a high-engagement period driven by increased searches and saves, but the consumer mindset shifts from gifting to self-purchase, from celebration to planning, and from browsing for others to acting on ideas for themselves.

According to Pinterest, Q5 is not only a budget decision but a creative one. Campaigns still built around gifting, countdowns, and last-minute urgency can quickly feel out of sync with what people want in that period.

Three creative shifts for Q5

• Switch from gifting to self-purchase – After weeks of buying for others, people turn their attention back to what they want and need next. Beauty moves from festive finishing touches to “new year, new me” planning and fresh-start maintenance. Food and drink bridges one last celebration with healthier routines. Fashion leaves party dressing behind for January-ready style, and home moves from seasonal mood to comfort, function and everyday ease. Pinterest advises showing how the product fits the buyer’s own life, not someone else’s wishlist.
• Move from festive celebration to anticipating the reset – People are still celebrating, but they are also starting to anticipate the new year. Creative can hold onto some of the warmth of the season while nodding to what’s coming next, such as routine, refresh, organisation, comfort, self-expression or improvement. Pinterest recommends evolution rather than reinvention: a new headline, overlay, image, product selection or framing can reposition an existing asset.
• Turn urgency into utility – Once Christmas has passed, festive deadlines lose their relevance, but the shopping doesn’t stop. One in two monthly Pinterest users continue shopping in the weeks following the festive season. Pinterest advises leading with the outcome or practical value a product offers, showing it in use, as part of a new routine, or helping people get organised, plan ahead or work towards a personal goal.

Case study: TUI

TUI used Pinterest during Q5 in Germany to promote early-booking offers, pairing Christmas cues with sunny travel imagery to connect the festive moment with planning for what comes next. The brand reached 41% more people with Premiere Spotlight placements than its annual average. Video completion rate was 29% higher for Premiere Spotlight takeover placements than the annual average for individual placements.

Making existing assets work harder

Pinterest suggests starting with the outcome an advertiser wants to drive. Inspiration and fresh-start possibility suit awareness goals, and showing how a product fits people’s routines, choices or plans suits consideration. Product-led creative can help drive sales.

• Media library – Helps advertisers organise and reuse assets in one place, making it easier to refresh creative without rebuilding from zero.
• Smart assembly – Helps advertisers grow creative volume quickly and turn existing assets into ads. According to Pinterest internal data, ad groups with 5–10 ads are correlated with a 2.7% increase in ROAS compared with the global average.
• Campaign optimisation score – Helps identify opportunities to improve performance, so advertisers can check that their campaign setup matches their objective before increasing spend.

For more information, visit business.pinterest.com.