The use of AI is becoming more and more normalized daily, helping brands enhance their products, increase sales, and connect with consumers in multiple ways. While some have frowned upon the use of such technology, with only 49% trusting its intentions, AI's implementation has created a lot of greater good. Across social media, several brands have begun to adopt AI to create content that they hope will capture consumers' interests and resonate with them. Furthering AI's positive implications, Pinterest has announced a first-of-its-kind technology that uses shape, size, and form to identify various body types in over five billion images on the platform. The technology will alter algorithms to increase representation across related feeds and search results for women's fashion and wedding-related content.
The body type technology has been leveraged in the efforts to make Pinterest a more positive online platform, a place where all types of people can see themselves reflected through content. The administration of body type technology follows Pinterest's previously installed skin tone technology and hair type technology, which are all part of the platform's mission to inspire the most meaningful societal impact.
"The presence of authentic representation on a platform, without having to add size or shape modifiers to get what you want, has never been more important to the emotional well-being of young people globally," comments Tess Holliday, a model, and activist who worked with Pinterest on the campaign. "I am immensely grateful to have been part of Pinterest's journey to shine a light on plus-size individuals and show everyone else that genuine change is possible."
The technological adjustment came after searches for plus-sized content increasingly grew, with "Mom summer outfits curvy" up 47x, "concert looks plus size" up 6x, and "plus size bridal dresses" up 5x, year over year. According to Pinterest, the addition of body technology has improved the representation of different body types on the platform by 5x across women's fashion-related searches.
Pinterest worked with external organizations and experts to create the technology, including Pinterest creators Natalie Craig, Kellie Brown, and Stefany Brito, as well as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA). The team consulted on the plus-sized community's needs, giving feedback and insights on the best way to connect with similar consumers.
"At NAAFA, we've worked for over 50 years to protect the rights of fat people and to improve the quality of life for people with bigger bodies. Through this work, we know that social media spaces can be especially hard for larger people. Trolls are relentless—especially to fat women who dare to wear anything other than baggy black clothing—but Pinterest has always been safer and more welcoming than many other online spaces," adds Tigress Osborn, Chair of the NAAFA. "Working with Pinterest to ensure that larger bodies are shown in search results signals to users of all sizes that every body and everybody deserves to be included and inspired. We hope our work with Pinterest will inspire other companies to join the movement as well."
To promote the changes made to the site, Pinterest is set to launch another Creator Inclusion Fund, this time dedicated to North American creators in the fashion and beauty industry who share posts related to body type diversity. The initiative is the 13th instalment of the Pinterest Creator Inclusion Fund, an activation that has focused on the growth and success of historically marginalized creators for several years. Selected creators will receive expert training, resources, and financial support from the brand. Alongside this, Pinterest will be spotlighting a range of inclusive brands on its search landing page across its Today's inspiration articles and Shopping Spotlights.
With 70% of consumers not feeling they are represented in social media marketing, Pinterest's technology is sure to make a positive change and influence like-minded brands and businesses to cater to a more diverse audience. After all, if consumers cannot see accurate representations of themselves in marketing, it is unlikely they will buy into a brand. The technology is currently in place in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand and will roll out to additional international markets in the near future.
