Highlight variables in an E-mail

String variables like dw_approved only hold the raw text and not the associated formatting. To get at that you'd need to work with the Range of the text within the document.

Sub CreateFromTemplate()
    Dim pulled_data As Worksheet
    Set pulled_data = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Records")
    'click on ITF Records before mailing out to get workweek date
    
    dw_approved = Format(ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Records").Range("AL30").Value, "$#,##0")
    dw_pending = Format(ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Records").Range("AK30").Value, "$#,##0")
    dw_percent = Format(ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Records").Range("AO30").Value, "0%")
    itf_approved = Format(ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Records").Range("AR30").Value, "$#,##0")
    itf_pending = Format(ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Records").Range("AQ30").Value, "$#,##0")
    itf_percent = Format(ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Records").Range("AT40").Value, "0%")
    workweek_for_email = pulled_data.Range("B13").Value
    ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Records").Range("AJ18:AT51").Copy
    
    'dw_approved.Color = 65535
    
    Dim myOlApp As Outlook.Application
    Dim olEmail As Outlook.MailItem
    Set myOlApp = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
    Dim olInsp As Outlook.Inspector
    Dim wdDoc As Word.Document
    Dim strbody As String
    Set olEmail = myOlApp.CreateItemFromTemplate("C:\Users\rbirch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\2015_AES_Scorecard _ww.oft")
    olEmail.Display
    
    strbody = "Hello Team," & vbTab _
        & vbCr & "Here is the scorecard and Daily Activity Tracker for workweek " & workweek_for_email _
        & vbCr & vbCr & "Synopsis: Talk about the difference between workweek scorecards cards, big wins, small wins in DW. " _
        & vbCr & vbCr & "Extracts are located at: http://myteams/sites/embedded3/Pipeline%20DB%20For%20John%20Hodges/Pipeline%20Extracts/Forms/AllItems.aspx" _
        & vbCr & vbCr & "Design Wins Summary" & vbCr _
        & "-   Approved DW "
    
    dw_approved_pos = Len(strbody)
    
    strbody = strbody _
        & dw_approved & "K ( " & dw_percent & " approved to KSO goal)" & vbCr _
        & "-   Pending DW " & dw_pending & "K" & vbCr _
        & vbCr & vbCr _
        & "ITF Summary" & vbCr _
        & "-   Approved ITF " & itf_approved & "K ( " & itf_percent & " approved to KSO goal)" & vbCr _
        & "-   Pending ITF " & itf_pending & "K"
    'make a random variable for salutations using an array

    

    With olEmail
        .BodyFormat = olFormatRichText
        .Subject = "2015 AES Scorecard-ww" & workweek_for_email
        Set olInsp = .GetInspector
        Set wdDoc = olInsp.WordEditor
        .Display
        wdDoc.Range.InsertBefore strbody
        wdDoc.Range(dw_approved_pos, dw_approved_pos + Len(dw_approved)).Font.TextColor = 65535
        wdDoc.Range(dw_approved_pos, dw_approved_pos + Len(dw_approved)).Font.Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = 1
        'olEmail.HTMLBody = strbody & olEmail.HTMLBody
        ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Records").Activate
        Range("AJ18:AT51").Copy
        wdDoc.Range(Len(strbody), Len(strbody)).Paste
        'wk7.ActiveChart.ChartArea.Copy
    End With
    ' paste scorecard
    
    'paste charts
    
    With olEmail
        .BodyFormat = olFormatHTML
        .Attachments.Add ActiveWorkbook.FullName
    End With
    
    
End Sub