Dive Brief: 

• Pinterest has announced the launch of its first paid round of testing for Promoted Pins.
• The social discovery platform went live with the ads last fall, but only in small, unpaid test groups.
• Over a dozen brands signed on to be in the launch group, including Kraft, Ziploc, General Mills, Gap, Nestle, Lululemon, ABC Family, and Expedia. 

Dive Insight: 

It seems like Promoted Pins have been in the news forever and the reason for that is Pinterest is being extra cautious when it comes to introducing ad products. The site has a very loyal and valuable user base that it wants to avoid alienating. With a $1- to $2-million price tag, it's a testament to Pinterest's value that so many brands are lining up to try out Promoted Pins.