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Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann Visits Japan to Discuss the Future
In May 2014, Dentsu Inc. announced a business partnership with Pinterest Japan. I had the opportunity to speak with Ben Silbermann, CEO and co-founder of Pinterest, during his visit to Dentsu Inc. headquarters.
Pinterest is an online image and video clipping platform launched in the US in 2010. It is now localized in 31 countries and launched its Japanese service in November 2013. Unlike the "social graph" advocated by many SNS platforms, Pinterest is based on the unique concept of an "interest graph," connecting users based on their interests and passions. It is used by over 60 million people worldwide each month (as of January 2014, comScore data).
Ben Silbermann
──What inspired you to start Pinterest?
Since I was a child, I've enjoyed collecting and preserving butterflies. The idea came to me: "I want to create this kind of collection online." That was the starting point for development. While several social networking sites and photo-sharing services existed at the time, there was no web service specifically for organizing and sharing your own personal collections.
──It's fascinating that Pinterest started from butterfly specimens. Could you explain the concept of the Interest Graph that Pinterest promotes?
Pinterest is a collection of curiosity. Everyone inherently engages in collecting activities. In museums, curators arrange collected items for us to appreciate. I love cooking, and cookbooks feature renowned chefs sharing their recipes. Apparel shops also display items by designer.
Similarly, on Pinterest, millions of images and videos collected by users worldwide through tools like the "Pin" button come together. By connecting this aggregated collection with your own interests, the "interest graph" Pinterest proposes is born. That is, connections are built not based on people, but on people's interests and passions.
Furthermore, the interest graph fosters discovery. Search requires users to specify what they want to find using concrete keywords, but Pinterest allows users to visualize what they seek through images and videos, starting from inspiration. Moreover, this process can lead to discoveries beyond one's imagination. The visual discovery enabled by the interest graph will likely gain even greater significance in the future.
──How will the Japanese subsidiary proceed?
I believe Japan is one of the few countries that truly understands the importance of visual discovery. Japan's unique customs and culture are incredibly fascinating, each with communities rich in history and depth.
We aim to connect with these communities to help people understand and use Pinterest. And through this community building, we want to increase the number of users who enjoy using Pinterest.
──What kind of change could Pinterest bring to the world?
Every human is inherently creative. However, I often feel that at some point, people give up on being creative. I dream that Pinterest will make life more creative and that the world will connect through each user's individual interests.
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