Crush the inner critic, says Pinterest

There's a touch of humour in this Don’t Don’t Yourself message from image sharing and social media service Pinterest, but many if not most of us can relate to the wryness of that humour - we really do have that inner critic working away inside our heads pretty much non-stop. It can pop up at the most inopportune moments to wreck great opportunities, hijack our focus and/or simply question our self-image, as in this case with a pesky inner voice living in the wardrobe to make the protagonist doubt her fashion choice and how she looks. What do you think of the ad? Use of social media is increasingly being held accountable for a range of disorders and discontent. Answering the question 'Is social media harmful to self-esteem?' academia's The Conversation says: "Research shows that the more time people spend on Facebook [Meta Platforms] and Instagram, the more they compare themselves socially. This social comparison is linked, among other things, to lower self-esteem and higher social anxiety". The trend is pronounced among impressionable users, very often younger demographics keen to emulate their apparently attractive and popular peers. Is this a good move from Pinterest, supporting the susceptible and raising general awareness; or does the campaign simply raise questions in people's heads and thereby draw attention to an issue that is best left 'unpromoted'? The company is stabilising after a 2019 IPO which saw huge windfalls for investors and some early stakeholders including employees, followed by a slump in share prices.

Keywords: Pinterest Inner Critic, self-image in ads, social media self-image, Don’t Don’t Yourself, lack of confidence, inner critic, Uncommon London