Background/Challenge
Pinterest’s Knit Con is a two-day annual employee inspire-a-thon. Its an opportunity when employees are encouraged to teach and participate in creative, interactive classes and inspiring talks. It’s a real-life representation of the Pinterest product where attendees are encouraged to explore their creativity and imagination.
It had been 3 years since an in-person event, so the excitement was electric in the stunning venue of Killruddery Estate as people met both old peers and new virtual peers. Each Knit Con is different because no two people’s experience is the same, and that’s by design!
The aim for the internal staff event, is to experience in-real-life version of Pinterest. The spirit of Knit Con matches Pinterest’s mission; to inspire and to create a life they love.
Our Response
Knit Con allowed us to collaborate with local talent hosting hands-on creative classes. We were fortunate to collaborate with over 55 creative talents, hosting classes from:
Nailscaping, DJ Production, Mooncraft, Forging, Woodworking, Drag MakeUp, Alpaca Adventure, Watercolour Painting, Lego Building, Veggie Growing, Laughter Yoga, Illustration, Dopamine Dressing, Falconry, Terrarium and Macrame.
Execution
The magnificent 800-acre Killruddery Estate in Co. Wicklow was home to the 2022 EMEA Knit Con event which is a sustainable, bio-diverse farm that includes flowering woodland, painterly formal 17th century gardens, a high-hedge Sylvan Theatre, long ponds and a walled garden. The estate became the Pinployee's space to eat, make, come together and celebrate within Killruddery’s house and gardens.
Pinterest employees also known as ‘Pinners’ had the opportunity to design their own bespoke schedule for the two event. 420 Pinner’s had their own unique agenda for the two days, specific to their own interests, they got to opportunity to experience the grounds of the stunning estate of Killruddery, both inside the privately owned home and beautiful gardens and farm.
From local creators and producers and world-class speakers from around the globe to talented Pinployees the diverse line up catered for a variety of needs, interests and experience levels.
Guest speakers covered a wide range of interesting topics. Paul Woods based in New York is an award winning designer and author of the book ‘How To Do Great Work Without Being An Asshole’.
Geraldine Co-Founder of The Useless Project aimed to show Pinner’s that there’s no need to feel useless in the face of the global climate crisis, giving a fresh perspective on what it means to be ‘sustainable’ in modern times.
Brenda and John Romero two legends of video games history. John and Brenda are founders of Romero games. They have been working in the video games industry since the early 80's, inventor of Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein.
Nabil Riadh Al Busaidi, is well known in Oman for his record-breaking expeditions. From becoming the first Arab to walk to the Magnetic North Pole back in March 2009 to breaking the record as the first Arab to row across any ocean.
The event holds a specific strong creative brand identity with many touchpoints dotted around the grounds. Oversized brand assets were placed in many locations, creating a photo opportunity for Pinner’s along with Interactive X and O’s game, graffiti horse and cow along with a photo studio to get pictures taken with their peers.
Pinners could avail of the ‘Farm to Fork’ culinary dining experience at the event. The chef had foraged all the fruit and vegetable from the grounds, all ingredients were locally sourced.
As Day 1 wrapped for the sessions Pinners were greeted by a ‘Whimsical Midsummer’ themed party. An array of interactive experiences unfoled throughout the course of the night; birdcage trempese artist, whimsical themed face painters, Swedish themed antipasti boards, fresh flower crowns, quid nitrogen oxygen ice cream entertained by the talented Riff Shop and Sing Along Social.
Result
Knit Con represents a conscious and intentional effort by Pinterest to invest in the creativity and imagination of its employees. It’s an understanding that creativity is something to be celebrated and recognized.
The overall feedback was incredibly positive, this is deemed the highlight of the Pinner’s calender and by lived up to the expectation. Knit Con allows small creative local businesses to have a platform to showcase their talents and inboard their companies.
https://knitcon-dublin.ie/
