Krylon: Pinterest Yard Sale
Krylon needed to differentiate its spray paint beyond generic protection benefits and increase brand relevance. They aimed to inspire consumers to see new value in their product, driving engagement and sales among DIY enthusiasts and value-seekers.
Creative Idea
Krylon painted worthless items, then resold them for profit, proving paint's transformative value.
Krylon transformed worthless items into valuable treasures with a coat of paint, launching a real-time Pinterest yard sale and TV spots to demonstrate how their product adds tangible worth, shifting focus from protection to profit and inspiring DIY creativity.
Turning 690 Miles of Junk Into Gold
The 127 Sale Road Trip
To execute the project, the team from Deutsch New York embarked on a grueling four - day journey across the "World's Longest Yard Sale." Traveling 690 miles through six states - Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan - the crew operated out of a custom - branded Krylon van that doubled as a mobile film studio. Social Content Manager Adrianne Benzion captured every frame of the campaign's signature GIFs in real - time, often shooting in cow fields and parking lots during 95 - degree summer heat. The team specifically curated 127 items to match the name of the highway route, proving that a single coat of paint could instantly double an object's market value.
First to Market Buyable Pins
The campaign was a landmark moment for social commerce, as Krylon became the first brand to utilize Pinterest’s then - new "Buyable Pins" feature. This tech integration allowed the brand to move beyond "likes" and "repins," creating a seamless path from content to commerce. By the end of the trip, every transformed item was sold via the platform. The strategy successfully shifted Krylon’s brand perception from utilitarian "rust protection" to a tool for the "flipping" economy.
DIY Star Power and Profit
Furniture designer and TV host Amy Devers served as the face of the campaign, lending DIY credibility to the transformations. Despite a modest $200,000 budget, the project generated $2.7 million in earned media and a 400% increase in Pinterest followers. Beyond the commercial success, the initiative had a philanthropic edge, with nearly $2,000 in proceeds donated to the Charity Wings Art and Craft Center.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Krylon possessed the product - spray paint - capable of visibly transforming and adding value to discarded items with ease.
Category
Other spray paint companies conventionally focused on product benefits like protection from rust, rain, or general wear and tear.
Customer
The audience desired practical ways to make their existing, seemingly worthless belongings more valuable and useful through simple DIY solutions.
Culture
The cultural trend of upcycling, thrifting, and the emergence of social commerce platforms like Pinterest's buyable pins created perfect timing.
Company
Krylon possessed the product - spray paint - capable of visibly transforming and adding value to discarded items with ease.
Category
Other spray paint companies conventionally focused on product benefits like protection from rust, rain, or general wear and tear.
Strategy:
Demonstrate product's transformative power by creating tangible value from overlooked items.
Customer
The audience desired practical ways to make their existing, seemingly worthless belongings more valuable and useful through simple DIY solutions.
Culture
The cultural trend of upcycling, thrifting, and the emergence of social commerce platforms like Pinterest's buyable pins created perfect timing.
Strategy:
Demonstrate product's transformative power by creating tangible value from overlooked items.
Results
With a $200,000 investment, the campaign gained $2.7 million worth of earned media. It also increased daily visits to Pinterest by 400%.
$2.7 million
earned media
400%
increase in daily Pinterest visits
Strategy Technique
Build an Utility, Not an Ad
Krylon built a real-time selling utility on Pinterest, demonstrating product value through actual transactions. This integrated approach provided a tangible service, not just a message, for consumers.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Unexpected Utility
The campaign demonstrated spray paint's unexpected utility by showing how it transforms "worthless" items into valuable goods. It shifted perception from mere protection to tangible value creation and profit.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft excels in its innovative integration of a physical event with digital platforms, leveraging the 'World's Longest Yard Sale' as a real-world content engine for digital engagement and commerce.
The seamless integration of a real-world, 690-mile yard sale with Pinterest's new buyable pins and Twitter for live content creation and distribution is groundbreaking, creating a unique and interactive e-commerce experience.
The visual contrast between 'before' (rusty, old) and 'after' (vibrant, new) items powerfully demonstrates Krylon's product efficacy and inspires creativity, using color to transform perception.
The concept of physically traveling and transforming items along a legendary route, then showcasing them at various yard sales, created a rich, authentic backdrop for the campaign's narrative.
The narrative successfully shifts the focus from product features to consumer benefits and emotional connection, highlighting how Krylon empowers individuals to find and create value in everyday items.
The magic of this campaign comes from the exceptional synergy between a massive physical event and real-time digital content and commerce, allowing a traditional product to shine in a highly engaging, modern context.
