Fresh and full of life, green has the power to soothe and energize. Make the most of green’s versatility with creative insights from AI.
Green is everywhere. From gorgeous outdoor landscapes to vegetables from the garden, this shade represents growth, freshness, and energy. At the same time, green can also represent feelings of envy, greed, and materialism. Out of all the colors in the rainbow, this one offers the most versatility, by far.
With that versatility in mind, it’s no wonder that green is having a big year in advertising.
So, how can marketers make the most of it? Shutterstock.AI has analyzed billions of data points, and thousands of green shades, to determine:
- Clickable Colors: What are the hex codes for the most engaging shades of green?
- Photo Settings: Where should photos be set, in order to achieve their highest click-through rates (CTRs)?
- Green Photo Elements: Which green animals, foods, and accessories are most likely to boost the clickability of an ad?
Let’s explore how the most captivating color of 2022 can be incorporated into your photography to energize engagement rates.
Green Is the Most Clickable Color
The data is in. Artificial intelligence says that green is this year’s most clickable color. Shutterstock’s 2022 Color Trends report shows that shades of green dominate in driving up click-through rates and conversions. In fact, shades of green make up one third of today’s twenty-five most clickable colors.
Out of every color across the spectrum, #40C040 has the highest click-through rate of all. It’s a bright and bold kelly green that can be seen everywhere—interior design, fresh herbs, and haute couture, to name a few.
What other shades of green rank among today’s top five most-clickable colors? More muted shades of olive and pistachio hold spots at the top of the list.
Light and bright celery green also makes today’s top five. A little further down the clickable colors catalog, we see dark green, pastel green, and aquamarine.
All Green Plants Are Engaging
Of course, when many of us think about the color green, we think of nature and sustainability. It should come as no surprise that throughout the pandemic, we have also been enjoying nature more.
This embrace of the natural world is showing up in photography trends. Throughout the pandemic, outdoor imagery became significantly more engaging than indoor imagery.
Simple green elements of outdoor photography have seen their click-through rates skyrocket. For example, since last year, the CTR of bushes has risen 178% and the CTR of leaves has risen 224%.
More specifically, certain green settings have surged in clickability as well. Swamps have seen their CTR increase 225% since 2019. Also, over the last two years, rainforests, woods, and golf courses have all gone up in clickability.
Go Beyond Plants: Clickable Green in Nature
The power of green is appearing beyond plants, too. Photos of the Earth itself have seen their CTR rise 248% since last year.
The clickability of jade has risen 1,312% throughout the year. Even auroras have seen their CTR rise 977% since 2020.
When it comes to green animals, 2022 seems to be the year of the reptile. Data tells us that cold-blooded critters are the most engaging green animals today.
Snakes have the highest CTR of any green animal studied. They’ve consistently held a high engagement rate over the last few years. Just behind snakes are lizards, with a CTR that’s risen 394% since 2020.
Craveable, Clickable Green Food
With a new year on the horizon, many people are resolving to eat healthier or even go plant-based. In 2022, it’s no wonder that AI predicts high engagement rates for so many green foods!
Let’s start with a look at leafy greens. The ever-popular salad has seen an increase in engagement lately. The CTR of salad imagery has risen 239% since just last year.
More specifically, cabbage has had its CTR increase 98% over the same time period.
Beyond salads, some other green vegetables are having a moment. For example, pickles are pretty popular. Their CTR has risen 206% this year, and they’re even 6% more clickable than cucumbers.
Artichokes are also an audience favorite. The CTR of artichoke imagery has risen 40% since 2020, making them one of today’s most clickable vegetables.
Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth? Pears are the most-clickable green fruit. In fact, they’re the most clickable green food in general. Limes are also performing well—their CTR has sharply risen 440% over the last year.
Beyond whole fruits, smoothies are extremely popular, just in time for a healthy 2022. AI discovered that smoothies are 142% more clickable today compared to just a year ago.
Cover image via Johnér.
The post Data-Backed Ways to Refresh Ads with Green appeared first on The Shutterstock Blog.