In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Haley Larsen (PhD English ’21), story lead of marketing and measurement at Pinterest.
As a storytelling expert and creative strategist for a global visual engine and social media platform, Haley’s helping us dive into the fun, trending world of tactile hobbies — from knitting and pottery to mahjong and so much more!
Haley is also a proud Purdue alumna with a background in English literature and culture. She’ll unpack the factors behind the recent hobby revival — fueled by Gen Z — and how Pinterest is meeting this moment.
In this episode, you will:
Learn more about how a pushback against hustle culture, a desire for connection and joy, and nostalgia for a prephone world are driving Gen Z’s interest in grandma-and-grandpa-core hobbies like crochet, scrapbooking and bird-watching.
Hear more about Pinterest’s unique position as a major social platform that not only offers its users the ability to collect and curate visual inspiration but also encourages them to get offline to pursue their hobbies.
Discover more about Haley’s favorite offline hobbies, including pottery, and how they’re pushing her outside of her creativity comfort zone and helping her find community.
Get insights into the paradox of online hobby trends, including how this points to a broader human pattern and why engaging with online communities can help you develop your offline hobbies.
Find out more about how slow, manual hobbies can improve your well-being and why the “friction” that comes with process-based activities is vital for self-reflection and self-development.
Tune in for key takeaways from Pinterest’s Hobbies Trend Report, and how the platform’s rich search data predicts top hobby trends for the year, including “Kitchen Witch,” “Home Cafe Engineering” and “Handmade Hacker.”
Learn more about Haley’s role and day to day as a story lead at Pinterest and how her Purdue liberal arts training set her up for career success with meaningful and measurable skills.
You don’t want to miss this episode with a Boilermaker and creative who’s helping to inspire hobby enthusiasts across the world!
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