Ad agency offices, despite their inhabitants’ knack for creativity, can feel a little stiff. In a bid to uplevel the inspiration of some of the most creative people in the world, and get people excited about happenings at their office, Pinterest invited three of the best agencies in the US, McCann New York, JOAN and Mojo Supermarket, to design and build the conference room of their dreams - using Pinterest, naturally.
The result is ‘Unboring My Boardroom’, an expression and realisation of the three agencies’ visions for the ultimate creative oasis.
The team at JOAN wanted a relaxing ‘Joan Zone’ and not another conference room - they have enough already! They wanted a space for themselves where employees could chill and connect with each other without the distraction of a laptop. To do so, they stepped into somewhat of a post-apocalyptic time machine stuck in 1976, where the lava lamps are still bubbling and the music never stopped, but nature has decided to join the party. Hidey-holes are overtaken by moss and soft spaces are dotted around to relax and re-energise.
Check out JOAN Creative's Pinterest board here.
Jaime Robinson, co-founder and CCO (left), and Lisa Clunie, co-founder and CEO (right)
Ernest Chan, art director, JOAN Creative
Bex Jean-Paul, associate director of finance, JOAN Creative
JOAN Creative's Room Before the Makeover
Jaime Robinson, co-founder and CCO at JOAN Creative, said, “Through this project, we were able to see how fun and actionable the journey on Pinterest can be, from stretching our imagination and discovering new ideas, to deciding on a concept, to actually making it happen. It was incredible to see everything come to life in a beautiful, totally insane way - there are endless possibilities on what can be ‘unboringed’ with Pinterest next.”
McCann, meanwhile, did want a fresh and vibrant place to meet and create. The New York office had an extremely traditional boardroom that wasn’t conducive to coming up with the kind of ideas they are known for, and the team wanted a space that was more flexible in form and function. Welcome ‘3rd of 23rd’, a New York bodega-inspired room that we would gladly while away a few hours in and are certain could get our creative juices flowing.
Check out McCann New York's Pinterest Board here.
Taskeen Limalia, creative director (left) and Clémence Pluche, art director (right), McCann New York
Shayne Millington, Co-CCO, McCann New York
McCann's Boardroom Before the Makeover
“Reimagining our conference room was such a compelling use of Pinterest,” said Shayne Millington, CCO at McCann New York, “not just to find inspiration but then to apply it in real life. This experience opened us up to new creative possibilities, from concept to execution, and we look forward to seeing all of the other ideas that come out of this newly inspired space.”
Finally, Mojo Supermarket adjoined three small conference rooms to create a space where the team could have meetings but also is a private space for chilling and being alone with one’s creative thoughts. Its theme was ‘trippy jungle retro futurism’, a '70s-style imagining of what the future would look like - but while taking a stroll through the jungle. It even has a secret room hidden behind a vending machine door.
Check out Mojo Supermarket's Pinterest Board here.
Erica Grubman, head of production, Mojo Supermarket
Ray Kang, head of growth, Mojo Supermarket
Mo Said, founder and CEO, Mojo Supermarket
Mojo Supermarket's Boardroom Before the Makeover
Mo Said, founder and CEO at Mojo Supermarket, said, “Only on Pinterest could you seamlessly go from manifesting a wild concept on a board to seeing it in real life. The physical manifestation of the board reflects so many of the different ideas that we actually pinned, and now it's my favourite room of all time. Pinterest’s superpower is not just about finding cool ideas, it's about making them happen in real life.”
To help bring the larger initiative to life, Pinterest partnered with Media.Monks for support with conceptual artists, production design and fabrication in-house. Director Carlyn Hudson, who is known for directing dozens of sketches for College Humor and Funny or Die’s branded division and is currently adapting a queer YA book for Netflix, helmed the supporting film.
“Whether it's a conference room, a weeknight meal routine, or a new look to try, Pinterest gives people the ability to 'unboring' anything,” added Stacy Malone, head of global business marketing at Pinterest. “It was a privilege to work with the most creative people in the industry and see that Pinterest can help make an idea real, from discovering, to deciding, to doing. So bring on those magic mirrors, emergency pizza buttons and giant cat heads! With Pinterest, it’s possible.”