Data-Backed Ways to Energize Ads with Yellow

Cheerful and optimistic, yellow is a color that excites and inspires. Discover AI-approved ways to embrace its energy in your ad campaigns.

Whether they’re citrusy and refreshing, or muted and regal, shades of yellow always make a striking impact. Every color affects the performance of an image or video, of course. So, how does the loud, energetic yellow help or hinder clickability?

Let’s start with the basics. There are millions of colors. AI tracks every single one of them. When looking at advertising data, AI looks at every color, and cross-analyzes it against:

Engagement: Audiences respond differently to each color. How does including specific shades change their likelihood of paying attention to an ad?
Click-through rates (CTR): How likely is each color to be clicked?
Patterned Behavior: Based on billions of audience interactions with colors, AI tracks patterns in behavior to determine the likelihood at which specific colors will change an ad’s performance.

Shutterstock.AI tells us that some shades of yellow are particularly successful at increasing the likelihood of getting ad clicks and conversions. Some yellow objects can do this, too.

So, let’s take a look at how the brightest color in the spectrum should be incorporated into your ad campaigns to make them radiant, bolder, or simply click-ier.

An Asian woman wearing a traditional Japanese kimono walks under a long row of bright yellow ginkgo trees in autumn — *Image via Guitar photographer.*

Yellows Make the Most-Clickable Short List

When looking at the clickability of all colors, across the entire spectrum, three shades of yellow made the top five most-clickable. This is quite a feat. These three yellows have been at peak performance over the last three months.

While 2021 has seen green consistently rank as its most clickable color, a few particularly punchy yellows make this short list just behind it.

Pastel yellow—specifically the hex code #FFFF80—is today’s second-most clickable color. While it still falls within the yellow family, it contains hints of green and evokes feelings of calmness.

It’s warm, welcoming, and can be both vibrant or understated, depending on how it’s used.

Vintage summer beach with pink pastel parasols and white chairs underneath — *This shade of pastel yellow is light, crisp, and click-boosting. Images via Andrekart Photography, lazyllama, Andrekart Photography, YuliiaOsadcha, and Floral Deco.*

Typical yellow pastel-colored 1930s Art Deco architecture with palm trees in Miami, Florida — *This shade of pastel yellow is light, crisp, and click-boosting. Images via Andrekart Photography, lazyllama, Andrekart Photography, YuliiaOsadcha, and Floral Deco.*

Coming in as the fifth most-clickable color is #FFFF00, or golden yellow. This shade is more bold and attention-grabbing than its pastel predecessor. It evokes feelings of triumph, strength, and achievement.

A yellow Zen Buddhist temple called The Golden Pavillion sits behind snow-covered trees in Japan — *You can feel the power and regality oozing from these photos. Images via JakkriT SomsuK Krit, CARACOLLA, Dev_Maryna, and Takashi Images.*

A swirl of marbled oil paints in blue, black, and gold cascade across the canvas — *You can feel the power and regality oozing from these photos. Images via JakkriT SomsuK Krit, CARACOLLA, Dev_Maryna, and Takashi Images.*

Finally, another color on the most-clickable short list is not quite green . . . and not quite yellow. It’s a mix of both! Lime green—specifically shade #C0FF80—is the fourth most-clickable color today.

Blending the engagement of green and energy of yellow, this shade will wake up any campaign with its inclusion.

Fresh Mojito cocktail with lime, rosemary, mint, and ice in glass on a dark blue background — *Somewhere between yellow and green comes today’s fourth most-clickable color. Images via Jukov studio, Picture Store, Valerie Johnson, and Ondrej Prosicky.*

A box of green and yellow bunches of bananas lying in rows in the marketplace — *Somewhere between yellow and green comes today’s fourth most-clickable color. Images via Jukov studio, Picture Store, Valerie Johnson, and Ondrej Prosicky.*

Make Settings More Clickable with a Pop of Yellow

We’ve been saying it for a while. Outdoor imagery is generally more clickable than indoor imagery. This is likely due to how the pandemic has shaped our perspectives on social distancing and safety. If you’re selecting images and videos that are set outside, there are a few ways to incorporate clickable yellow objects in them.

Of course, leaves are low-hanging fruit . . . and highly engaging. Since 2019, AI has observed the CTR of leaves rise 56%. While the weather still allows, autumnal scenes and yellow foliage will enhance your ads.

If you’d prefer content that’s always evergreen, you can turn to the skies for your ad artwork. While we’ve seen the clickability of the moon decline over the last two years, certain other celestial objects are on the rise.

For example, the sun’s CTR has risen 34% since this time last year. The clickability of stars has also risen 139% over the same time period.

Close-up of fresh green Ginkgo biloba leaves with brown and yellow hues — *Look to nature for your best yellow settings. Images via Kuttelvaserova Stuchelova, Velement, Iakov Kalinin, yanikap, and Tithi Luadthong.*

Gingerbread cookies in the shapes of people and stars with yellow icing — *Look to nature for your best yellow settings. Images via Kuttelvaserova Stuchelova, Velement, Iakov Kalinin, yanikap, and Tithi Luadthong.*

Munch on Clickable Yellow Carbs

They’re everyone’s favorite food group. They’re also some of today’s most engaging yellow objects. Carbs will fill your plate and fuel your click-through rate. So, which ones are today’s top-performers?

For starters, corn has seen its CTR rise 56% over the last two years. Beyond corn chowder or corn on the cob, one yellow carb ranks above all.

As audiences have made their ways back to the movie theater, AI tells us that popcorn is currently the most-clickable yellow food. Its CTR rose 358% over the last two years, and is projected to continue rising.

Top-view of grilled Mexican street corn garnished with spices on a serving plate — *Make those ads pop with some salty, buttery yellow corn! Images via Arina P Habich, virtu studio, Magdanatka, and LightField Studios.*

Individually popped popcorn in rows on a bright yellow background — *Make those ads pop with some salty, buttery yellow corn! Images via Arina P Habich, virtu studio, Magdanatka, and LightField Studios.*

Beyond the corn category, here are some other highly-engaging, carb-dense yellow foods:

Pasta’s CTR has risen 46% since 2019.
Fries are currently 60% more clickable than chips.
Nuggets have seen their CTR rise 77% since 2019.
The CTR of beer has also risen 41% since 2019.

A female tourist holds two cones of Belgian French fries with way too much mayonnaise slathered on top at a festival in Brussels — *Move over keto, we’ve got some yummy yellow carbs on trend here. Images via Oleksandr Berezko, Alessio Orru, Vinciber, gowithstock, and katjen.*

A dish of Spaghetti alla Carbonara with cheese, diced tomato, and black pepper on a white plate — *Move over keto, we’ve got some yummy yellow carbs on trend here. Images via Oleksandr Berezko, Alessio Orru, Vinciber, gowithstock, and katjen.*

Select Bright, Sweet Treats

While the previous section covered main courses, there are still some yellow desserts on-trend. If you’re looking for food that’s on the sweeter side, AI suggests you opt for any of the following in your ads.

Custard has seen its clickability rise 178% since this time last year.
Lemons have seen their CTR rise 294% since 2020. They’re also 29% more clickable than oranges.
Lemonade is having a moment today, too. Its CTR has risen 469% since this time last year.

Upside-down pineapple cake garnished with cherry on a white plate and a side dish of caramel — *Even pineapples have seen their CTR rise 17% since 2019. Images via Lesya Dolyuk, Alones, Tatiana Bralnina, and pic0000.*

A woman holds a mason jar filled with fresh lemonade garnished with a sprig of mint and slice of lemon with a black straw — *Even pineapples have seen their CTR rise 17% since 2019. Images via Lesya Dolyuk, Alones, Tatiana Bralnina, and pic0000.*

Some Yellow Animals Are Enhancing Engagement

When it comes to the animal kingdom, it looks like a trip to the zoo is in order! AI tells us that some truly wild golden-hued animals are trending up.

Currently, kangaroos are the most-clickable yellow animals. Their CTR has risen 1,264% since this time last year! Some other engaging animals are lions and giraffes. Since 2019, CTR of lions is up 55% and the CTR of giraffes is up 39%.

Side-view of red kangaroo standing on the red sand of outback of central Australia — *Kangaroos are hopping up the clickability gage, along with giraffes and those majestic lions. Images via Benny Marty, John Michael Vosloo, Travel Stock, idiz, and DarkOne.*

Young African lion cub cuddling with his mother in Africa — *Kangaroos are hopping up the clickability gage, along with giraffes and those majestic lions. Images via Benny Marty, John Michael Vosloo, Travel Stock, idiz, and DarkOne.*

When it comes to finding clickable farm animals, AI says advertisers still have some options. Chicks have seen their CTR increase 39% over the last two years.

Bees have also seen a clickability boost of 30% during that time. This goes hand-in-hand with how honey recently has trended up, too.

Close-up of a Northern white-tailed bumblebee on a lantana flower with a bokeh background — *Cute and sweet. AI says these two farm animals are on the rise, too. Images via manfredxy, sergey kolesnikov, and Richard Peterson.*

Closeup portrait of a beekeeper holding a honeycomb full of bees with a soothing bokeh background — *Cute and sweet. AI says these two farm animals are on the rise, too. Images via manfredxy, sergey kolesnikov, and Richard Peterson.*

Cover image via Fattyplace.

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