This research examines how visual design cues in technology education advertising shape consumer inspiration (CI) and downstream behavioral outcomes, with particular attention to gendered responses. Addressing the persistent gender gap in STEM fields, we adopt a multi-method approach. Study 1 employs a netnographic analysis of 459 Python programming advertisements to map dominant industry design norms, revealing a strong reliance on blue, competence-signaling visual cues. Study 2 tests the psychological consequences of these norms in a controlled experiment (N = 434). Results reveal a significant interaction between background color and viewer gender: blue backgrounds, while consistent with industry conventions, elicit lower levels of inspiration among female viewers relative to males. In contrast, purple and gray backgrounds attenuate this gender-based inspiration gap. Moderated mediation analyses further demonstrate that consumer inspiration functions as a key psychological mechanism linking ad exposure to both attitudes toward the advertisement and purchase intentions, with the indirect effect contingent on the gender–color interaction. By integrating color-in-context theory with research on gender representation in advertising, this work advances understanding of how subtle visual cues can systematically shape access and engagement in the digital economy. Implications for inclusive design and DEI-oriented marketing strategies in STEM education are discussed.