12 Contests on Pinterest

Pinterest is a great place for a business to hold a contest. Contestants can interact with a brand as they pin inspirational images. And, because prize amounts are often modest, small and mid-size businesses can offer the same rewards as conglomerates.

However, if you are considering a contest on Pinterest, be sure to comply with its guidelines for promotions and marketing. Pinterest has defined a set of Dos and Don’ts for contests. (Some Don’ts are violated frequently, such as using the term “Pin it to win it.”)

Here is a list of recent contests on Pinterest. Some of the contests require contestants to pin from a selection of images, while other contests let contestants discover their own inspiration.

InStyle

InStyle Pinterest Contest.

InStyle’s Pin It to Win It! Best Beauty Buys Sweepstakes asks contestants to create a “My Best Beauty Buys” Pinterest board, finding inspiration for hair, makeup, nail, and skin-care products with InStyle.com/bbb. Participants share the board for a chance to win an editors’ selection of the 2014 Best Beauty Buys.

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The Container Store

The Container Store Pinterest Contest.

The Container Store’s Organized Shower of Your Dreams has followers create a Pinterest board called “The Organized Shower” and pin inspiring details of a dream wedding shower. Winners are selected each month and awarded a $1,000 card.

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BISSEL

BISSELL Pinterest Contest.

BISSELL’s The One Step Closer Sweepstakes asks people to pin images of what they’d like to be closer to. The contest is promoting BISSEL’s new Symphony vacuum and steam mop, which cleans messes and enables people to get closer to what they’d like to be doing. Prizes include a weekend getaway, a night on the town, and a trip to the spa.

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3M Home Collection

3M Home Collection Pinterest Contest.

3M’s Organization Inspiration Sweepstakes for Post-it, Scotch, and Command brands asks contestants to share inspirational images for getting organized to win Home Collection products and a $200 Visa Gift Card. Followers pin from the Home Collection or other inspirational images, and describe how it would improve busy family life.

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Labor Day Movie

Labor Day Movie Pinterest Contest.

Labor Day Movie Weekend Getaway Contest has participants post a photo exemplifying the entrant’s idea of what love looks like, promoting the theme of the theatrical film release. Images are posted via the entrant’s Pinterest account and must include the hashtags #LaborDayMovie and #Love. One grand prizewinner wins a weekend getaway to New England.

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Restaurant.com

Restaurant.com Pinterest Contest.

Restaurant.com’s What Does Mom Means to You Sweepstakes is a promotion for Mother’s Day. The contest instructs contestants to follow Restaurant.com on Pinterest, create a “What Mom Means to Me” board with at least ten pins, and repin at least five images from the contest’s Pinterest board. The winner receives a $500 Mom’s Night Out package.

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overstockArt.com

overstockArt.com Art for Mother’s Day Pinterest Sweepstakes is another contest for Mother’s Day. Participants follow overstockArt.com on Pinterest, create an “overstockArt Mother’s Favorite Sweeps” board, and pin five framed art images, in addition to the main contest promo image. The winner receives $500 in overstockArt merchandise.

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Ball

Ball Pinterest Contest.

Ball’s Spring Green Sweepstakes is a contest to promote its new Spring Green Heritage Collection. To enter, contestants follow Ball on Pinterest and create a “Spring Green” board, pinning and tagging images from Ball’s contest board, as well as any other inspirational green images. The winner receives a prize package that includes a $500 gift certificate to Ace Hardware and the new Spring Green Heritage Collection.

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Minnetonka Moccasin

Minnetonka Moccasin Pinterest Contest.

Minnetonka Moccasin’s Pin To Win Spring Celebration Sweepstakes is a contest that randomly selects fifteen winners for their favorite pair of Minnetonka moccasins. Participants follow @MinnetonkaMocc on Pinterest, then pin five favorite Minnetonka styles and five additional pins showing how they’re celebrating spring.

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Transamerica

Transamerica Pinterest Contest.

Transamerica’s My Dream Retirement Sweepstakes has contestants follow Transamerica on Pinterest, create a “My Dream Retirement” board, and pin five perfect-retirement images from Transamerica’s “Build Your Dream Retirement” board. The winner receives $500.

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Paul Mitchell

Paul Mitchell Pinterest Contest.

Paul Mitchell’s Dress Up & Party Down Sweepstakes is a contest to promote products for a big night out. Participants create a “Dress Up & Party Down” board, then repin images from Paul Mitchell’s board and other style images for a special occasion. The winner receives over $1,000 worth of hair and style must-haves.

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Cole Haan

Cole Haan Pinterest Contest.

Cole Haan’s The Wandering Sole Contest asks participants to create a board and pin five of their favorite Cole Haan shoes with the hashtag #WanderingSole. The winner receives a $1,000 shopping spree. This contest prompted a recent warning from the FTC. Per the FTC, the pins were an endorsement of the brand and using the “WanderingSole” hashtag was not enough to disclose the material connection between the endorser and the company.