Pinterest returned to Coachella this year, but this time it wants festivalgoers to leave their phones at the door.
While Pinterest has been at Coachella for the past three years, the company is doing something different and disruptive by creating a phones-free activation to get attendees to be more present and live in the moment rather than just capturing content. The activation also coincides with the launch of its new brand campaign and short film that focuses on the importance of being offline.
Analog experiences have been having a resurgence on the platform, with Gen Z searches up 260% for “analog aesthetic” and up 150% for “dumb phone,” according to Pinterest. Similarly, a 2025 Talk Research study found 63% of Gen Z consciously “unplug” from devices, while 52% attempted to quit social media last year.
Pinterest seems to be taking these findings to heart. Upon entry, guests are asked to place and lock their phones in a pouch before stepping into the experience.
Sara Pollack, VP and global head of consumer marketing at Pinterest, said the company’s mission has always been to inspire consumers to create a life they love rather than simply provide a platform for the infinite scroll. She said Coachella was the perfect place to launch the campaign and activation since much of the festival’s demographic is Gen Z.
“Being that we’re going to be in an IRL environment with a demographic yearning for more of a vibrant, meaningful, real life, it felt not just appropriate but necessary given our brand position and what our product does,” Pollack told Campaign. “We wanted to create a space where it wasn’t about taking selfies or performing for the camera, but a place where you would put that away and get creative, talk to human beings and find inspiration to spark that creativity and joy. That’s what Pinterest is about.”
Once guests are inside the activation, they can create custom charms, receive styling and beauty touch-ups inspired by Pinterest trends — including Hot Tropic, Peak Poptimism! and Sheer Euphoria — and capture their looks with a “Poptimistic” photo op. The beauty touch-ups are courtesy of E.l.f. Cosmetics, which is Pinterest’s official makeup partner.
Attendees also receive a printed “Joy Guide” to personalize with physical keepsakes such as stickers, postcards and lenticular photos collected during their visit so they can mail it home to themselves and share it after the festival.
Pinterest also was involved with E.l.f. Cosmetics’ E.l.f.scape to Balm Desert activation, an immersive experience created around the launch of the brand’s new Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balms and Drink It Up! Collection, which will be available in three poolside-inspired flavors, Pink Lemonade, Island Colada and Blue Razz Slushy. Pinterest boards will be featured throughout the activation.
“All the makeup in our space is from E.l.f. and there’s a lot of brand alignment there around Gen Z, joy, creativity and self-expression, so that partnership really works for both of us,” Pollack said.
Pinterest first partnered with Coachella in 2024 for its Pinterest Manifest Station experience, which featured expert fashion and beauty stylists to help attendees with their festival looks. Last year, Pinterest’s activation invited festivalgoers to try on and remix looks inspired by the platform’s trends and featured a live installation created in partnership with designer and creative director Ramisha Sattar.
