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Blog Home Designer Data-Backed Ways to Include Warm Colors in Your Ads
Data-Backed Ways to Include Warm Colors in Your Ads

Data-Backed Ways to Include Warm Colors in Your Ads

Energetic and extravagant, warm colors can really pack a punch. Here’s how to make the most of them in your ads, according to AI.

Color theory tells us that warm colors convey a wide range of emotions. Shades of red, orange, and yellow can symbolize strength, anger, passion, and opulence.

Design principles tell us that shades of red symbolize love, passion, joy, and power. Shades of orange conjure up feelings of energy and good health. Colors that fall within the yellow family are happy, joyful, and playful.

Clearly, shades on the warm half of the color wheel evoke a slew of emotions.

It’s no wonder that photographers, graphic designers, brands, and artists alike often incorporate the warmth of these colors in marketing campaigns. So, how can you harness their power in your creative assets?

Shutterstock.AI analyzed over 700 billion creative data points to determine which exact objects in the warm color family are driving clicks today. Through this analysis, we discovered data on which accessories, foods, florals, and settings are boosting click-through rates (CTRs) today.

License these images via MaxFrost, Victoria Chudinova, and Jaroslav Monchak.

Go ahead and heat things up by incorporating warm colors into your creative direction. AI has the insights you need to get started.


Bling Is Big

With minimalism out, and maximalism in, it’s no wonder that consumers are clicking on the gilded warmth gold brings. Not only that, though. Classically red beauty trends are performing well, too.

Several pieces of jewelry are trending upward . . . and gold is 9% more clickable than silver. We suggest decking out your ads with golden bangles and baubles!

Earrings, for instance, are today’s most clickable piece of jewelry. Their CTR has skyrocketed 5,545% since this time last year.

Necklaces are performing well too, having seen their CTR rise 545% over the same time period. Rings are the third most clickable piece of jewelry today.

License these images via Alyssa Katherine Faoro, teena137, Caroline Woodham, Ander5, Head over Heels, Julian Wainwright, and Neil Buchan Grant.

When it comes to cosmetics, we see a few classics performing well with advertising audiences.

Lips are among some of today’s most clickable photo features . . . and lipstick boosts a photo’s clickability even more. In fact, the click-through rate of lipstick has risen 158% since last summer.

Manicures are in, too, with a CTR that’s risen 50% since this time last year.

License these images via Darya Lavinskaya, Salla Holm, marianayurijivna, Johnér, Demidenko, Brian Hodges, Tania Cervián / Westend61, Susan Pittard, and CarlosDavid.


Heat Things up in the Kitchen

Of course, warm colors are big when it comes to food and drink. Data tells us that desserts and sweet treats are trending up, both in general and within specific industries.

Out of all foods measured, strawberries are the most clickable. Beyond these bright red summer berries, watermelon is having a moment, with a CTR that’s risen 210% since last year.

Citrus is also in, with oranges’ CTR having risen 21%, and lemons’ CTR having risen 12%, since last summer.

If your ads need to feature a dessert that’s a bit more decadent, AI recommends you opt for pie. The clickability of pie has risen 79% over the last year.

License these images via allllbert0, Tamara Saveljeva, natkinzu, Visnja Sesum, Chelsea Cavanaugh, Pixel-Shot, and Peter Karasev / Addictive Creative.

When it comes to drinks, advertisers have a couple of options to maximize clickability. Soda (orange soda, anyone?!) has seen its CTR rise 173% over the last year.

Wine is also trending up. So, pour a glass of red or rosé in your ads, because wine’s clickability has gone up 113% over the last year.

License these images via Brent Hofacker, Foxys Forest Manufacture, and Goskova Tatiana.


Pick Red, Yellow, and Orange Flowers

With Lovecore making its way into the mainstream beyond Valentine’s Day, several romantic flowers are performing well in ad creative.

The flower that’s most clickable with consumers is the poppy. In fact, the poppy has seen its CTR really blossom over the last year, rising 2,971% since last summer.

Sunflowers come in as the second most clickable. Their CTR is up 1,186%.

License these images via Tatiana Turava, iofoto, okchizh, Troshyna Yaroslava, Cavan Images, okchizh, Alexandra C. Ribeiro / VISTA by Westend61, Cavan Images, and Jovana Vukotic.

Artificial intelligence can even tell us which classic bouquet flowers are most engaging.

Roses have seen their CTR rise 12% over the last year. Lilies have risen 479% in clickability over the same time.

Even daisies have shot up too, with a CTR that’s risen 750%

License these images via Smile19, ShotPrime Studio, Pressmaster, AnnaStills, and Sergey Bezgodov.


How to Select Warm Colored Settings

Since the beginning of the pandemic, it’s been generally more fruitful to feature outdoor photography, as it’s more clickable than indoor photography. This trend is still holding strong, even when we look at which warm-colored settings boost performance.

Right now, barns are the most clickable warm-colored setting, with a CTR that’s risen 596% since last summer. Sunsets and sunrises are also highly engaging, as their CTRs have risen 141% over the last year.

License these images via Bob Pool, Sarunyu L, nadia_if, Peter Adams, Victor Bordera / Addictive Creative, Bisual Studio, John & Lisa Merrill / Danita Delimont, and Amanda Mustard.

With our eyes turned toward the skies, we see that other heavenly bodies are trending up.

Perhaps it’s due to NASA’s recent space photo release, but stars are the most clickable item in the sky. In fact, the CTR of stars has risen 155% over the last year.

Interestingly, the moon is just as engaging as the sun. Its CTR is up 900%, compared to this time one year ago.

If your ads need to be set indoors though, AI has one piece of advice. The right dog will boost your image click-through rates, no matter where a photo is set.

The warmest-colored dog of all, the golden retriever, is extremely engaging with audiences today. Its CTR has risen 485% since last year.

License these images via Jimmi Tamsil, JakubD, Carol Lynn, Cavan Images, and traxlergirl.


License this cover image via Master1305.

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