# How to colour grade video ads

> Colour grade a video ad in five steps: fix exposure, set white balance, match clips, apply one look, then check on a phone. Controls explained in plain words.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-15
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-color-grade-video-ads

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To colour grade a video ad, fix exposure and white balance first, then match your clips and apply one look. Check it on a phone before you export.

## Five steps

1. Fix exposure. Set the brightness so faces and the product are clear, not too dark and not washed out.
2. Set white balance. Whites should look white and skin should look natural.
3. Match the clips. Pick one clip as the reference and bring the others close to it.
4. Apply one look. Use a LUT, a colour look or the colour wheels, and keep it light on UGC. See [how to use LUTs](/guides/how-to-use-luts).
5. Check on a phone at low and high screen brightness. Then export.

Correct first, grade second. Correction fixes problems. Grading sets the mood.

## Controls in plain words

| Control | What it changes | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| Exposure | How bright the picture is | Show the product clearly |
| White balance | A warm (yellow) or cool (blue) cast | Keep whites white and skin natural |
| Contrast | The gap between dark and bright | Make the picture crisp or soft |
| Saturation | How strong the colours are | Make products stand out without orange skin |
| Curves and colour wheels | Shadows, midtones and highlights | Match clips and shape a look |
| LUT | A saved colour recipe | Apply a look in one click |

## Where to find them

Premiere Pro (now called Adobe Premiere) has Window > Lumetri Color in the current release. Adobe says Premiere 27.0 will retire that panel, while Lumetri stays as an effect in the Properties panel (checked 3 Nov 2026). DaVinci Resolve has a full colour workspace. Final Cut Pro 12.4 lists a Match Color tool. Compare them in [Premiere Pro vs DaVinci Resolve](/compare/premiere-pro-vs-davinci-resolve).

We make Marxx. [Marxx's AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) has colour wheels, curves, looks and LUTs, and can match a clip's colour to a reference. The editor runs from $9 a month at launch prices (checked 3 Nov 2026).

## A worked example

Say you have 6 clips for a INR 799 desk lamp. Three were shot under a white tube light and three by a window.

- Fix exposure and white balance in each group first.
- Pick one window clip as the reference. Bring the other five close to it.
- Apply one warm look to all 6 clips.

That is one look decision, not six. The ad now reads as one shoot, and the lamp keeps its true colour.

## Mistakes to avoid

- A heavy look that changes the product's colour. Buyers should see the colour they will get.
- Grading before you fix exposure
- Grading each clip on its own, so the ad changes colour at every cut
- Judging colour on a bright monitor only

See also how to [edit product videos for ecommerce](/guides/how-to-edit-product-videos-for-ecommerce) and how to [edit UGC ads](/guides/how-to-edit-ugc-ads).

## FAQ

### What is the difference between colour correction and colour grading?

Correction fixes exposure and white balance so footage looks right. Grading sets a look on top of that.

### Do I need a LUT?

No. The colour wheels or a look preset do the same job. A LUT saves time when you reuse a look on many ads.

### Should I grade UGC clips?

Lightly. Match clips from different creators so the ad feels like one piece, and keep the natural look.

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