{"id":3520,"date":"2019-05-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-20T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/blog\/trending-in-email-design-bold-colors-and-gradients\/"},"modified":"2024-08-21T13:48:22","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T17:48:22","slug":"trending-in-email-design-bold-colors-and-gradients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/blog\/trending-in-email-design-bold-colors-and-gradients","title":{"rendered":"Trending in Email Design: Bold Colors and Gradients"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each year, we see new design trends shaping digital marketing\u2014from the use of color and imagery to typography trends, interactivity, and more. In our <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cTrending in Email Design\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> series, we look at the hottest digital design trends\u2014and dive into how they translate into email marketing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bold colors &amp; gradients: Standing out<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The use of bold color in design is an ongoing trend that has steadily grown in popularity in recent years. However, in 2019 there are a few new twists. <\/span>Adobe <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> suggests that designers are taking advantage of 70\u2019s inspired palettes with bright colors and gradients, and <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/blog\/design-with-2019-color-trends\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shutterstock<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> highlighted three neon shades as the latest on-trend colors based on their search data.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2019, the use of contrasting colors is proving to be ever more popular, with conventional combinations pushed aside for more radical, vibrant choices. Experimentation with color saturation and intense gradients are contributing to more vibrant designs that can\u2019t be missed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bold colors in email marketing<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As brands strive to set themselves apart from their competitors and push to be heard within busy inboxes, designers are making courageous color choices. Creating designs that pop when an email is opened helps to attract that much needed engagement by placing emphasis on important messaging and calls to action.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Levi\u2019s<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bold colors can help draw attention and give greater prominence to discounts and offers, like this example from <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.levi.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Levi\u2019s<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The designer of this campaign has managed to draw attention to not only the key discount messaging but also the colored Levi\u2019s<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00ae <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">back patch service in this eye-catching email.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"post-23300 media-23300\" class=\"alignnone nudged\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" shaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/levis-email.gif\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lyft<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">US-based app taxi service <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lyft.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lyft<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has been using the power of bold colors and other trending styles in their emails for some time, but this example offers an insight into how flat color can help messaging stand out. In this annual usage email, Lyft has visualized the customer\u2019s data using various bold, flat colors.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"post-23300 media-23300\" class=\"alignnone nudged\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" shaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Lyft_email_micro.gif\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But Lyft\u2019s year-in-review email isn\u2019t the only email that stands out through its bold color choices. Other campaigns and triggered emails from Lyft often make an impact upon open with bold background colors:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"post-23302 media-23302\" class=\"alignleft nudged\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" shaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/lyft-promo2.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"post-23301 media-23301\" class=\"alignleft nudged\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" shaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/lyft-promo1.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"post-23301 media-23301\" class=\"alignnone nudged\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"post-23302 media-23302\" class=\"alignnone nudged\"><\/figure>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paypal<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paypal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> makes the key messaging in this product announcement email stand out by using contrasting colors:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"post-23304 media-23304\" class=\"alignleft nudged\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" shaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/paypal-credit-email.gif\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"post-23304 media-23304\" class=\"alignnone nudged\"><\/figure>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moonpig<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moonpig.com\/uk\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moonpig<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> creates a sense of urgency with the use of bright bold color:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"post-23303 media-23303\" class=\"alignleft nudged\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" shaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/moonpig2.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"post-23303 media-23303\" class=\"alignnone nudged\"><\/figure>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gradients in email marketing<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gradients are incredibly versatile and a great way to add depth to an <a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/email-design\/\">email design<\/a>. They can be attention-grabbing with contrasting colors, or used as a subtle enhancement with the use of tones and tints. Designers often utilize gradients through <a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/blog\/state-of-email-design-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">email design tools<\/a> to create impactful backgrounds, but they can also add interest and help content stand out when used as a photography treatment or in the background of a call to action.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shutterstock<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this example, <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shutterstock<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> includes a vibrant animated gradient background that helps draw attention to a new integration with digital design software <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sketch.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sketch<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The bold colors in the hero area help to reinforce the primary call to action, with the body of the email drilling down into the plugin features.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"post-23312 media-23312\" class=\"alignleft nudged\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" shaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Screen_Recording_2019_05_20_at_10.21_AM.gif\" alt=\"\" \/><figcaption>View the gradient animation in action &gt; <a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/litmus.com\/scope\/vamhu7gyezpt\">https:\/\/litmus.com\/scope\/vamhu7gyezpt<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"post-23303 media-23303\" class=\"alignnone nudged\"><\/figure>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stylist Live<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This vibrant email for wellness event <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/live.stylist.co.uk\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stylist Live<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> takes advantage of gradients throughout the design. The intense background gradient draws out key event information and creates an impactful experience on open. Photography throughout the email is stylized with gradient treatments, making the content highly engaging, and intense backgrounds on buttons strengthen calls to action and social links.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"post-23303 media-23303\" class=\"alignnone nudged\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" shaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Stylist.png\" alt=\"\" \/><figcaption>Found on Really Good Emails<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designmodo<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Web resources hub <\/span><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/designmodo.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designmodo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> brings shades of bold purple to this background gradient, creating a subtle sense of depth and helping the content stand out. The contrasting background color of the call to action also draws the eye.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"post-23299 media-23299\" class=\"alignnone nudged\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/designmodo-email.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What other brands make great use of bold color and gradients in email?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you have more great examples of color trends in your inbox? We\u2019d love to see them. Just let us know in the comments below.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Next up in our &#8220;Trending in Email Design&#8221; series: In 2019, the use of contrasting colors is proving to be ever more popular, with conventional combinations pushed aside for more radical, vibrant choices. Experimentation with color saturation and intense gradients are contributing to more vibrant designs that can\u2019t be missed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3521,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[478,9805],"blog_category":[53],"class_list":["post-3520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-design","tag-text","blog_category-tips-resources"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Trending in Email Design: Bold Colors and Gradients - Litmus<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Next up in our &quot;Trending in Email Design&quot; series: In 2019, the use of contrasting colors is proving to be ever more popular, with conventional combinations pushed aside for more radical, vibrant choices. 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