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Dorothy's Technicolor Slippers: How to Utilize New Technology in Your Marketing Campaign


Ruby Red Slippers from Wizard of Oz

How many of us have clicked our heels together and thought, “There’s no place like home?” It worked for Dorothy. Maybe it could work for us too?


The Wizard of Oz is one of the most iconic movies in the world. Famous for the Yellow Brick Road, the Emerald City, and of course, the Ruby Red Slippers. Additionally, producers at MGM took great advantage of new color technology. Their innovative use of color sparks just as much joy and wonder as the film’s inspiring story and hit songs.


Did you know that Dorothy’s famous red slippers weren’t originally red? Penned by author Frank L. Baum, the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz describes the shoes as silver. In fact, it wasn’t until the second edition of the movie script that creators first envisioned their vibrant ruby sparkle. Producers agreed to adopt the change in order to help the slippers stand out against the Yellow Brick Road that Dorothy spends most of her screentime walking down.


One slight change created a classic image that has stood out to audiences for generations. The Ruby Red slippers represent hope and the ability to return home. They evoke an immediate mental image. How can you develop something as powerful for your organization? How can you create something iconic that your audience will come back to over and over?


Like the producers at MGM, you can take advantage of emerging technology. Every day we have new tools available to us. Evolving trends are constantly emerging. If the Wizard of Oz came out today, no one would be impressed by the color, but when it was released in theaters 83 years ago, everyone was mesmerized because it was still revolutionary.


Don’t wait until a trend goes out the door or until you’re the last organization to utilize popular technology. Act fast and be a frontrunner.


This doesn’t mean to jump on every meme on the internet. Do your research to understand the scope and message behind the trend. If it’s right for your brand, don’t hesitate! Don’t waste hours of content development just to send out the right message at the wrong time.


As for technology, marketers should be as familiar as possible with emerging apps and resources. We all know about TikTok. Many marketers immediately wrote it off, thinking it was just an app for high school students and wouldn’t find their audience on the platform. Data from this year tells us that 32% of users are between the ages of 25 and 34 and that 80 million users are active on the platform. Because of this new data and the platform’s continued growth, businesses that originally chose not to use TikTok are now incorporating it into their marketing strategies.


Like trends, technology is constantly evolving. Something that might not have met your organization’s needs six months ago might now be just the tool to reach your target audience during an upcoming campaign. Be sure to always keep yourself and your team up to date on emerging technologies and think innovatively. How can you use them to get the right message to your audience?


MGM jumped on something new—they even adapted their content to best use that technology. Be on the lookout, and you’ll also find that using the right technology to creatively share your message could ignite something your audience remembers for a lifetime.


Leave a comment below to let us know what trend, or technology your organization has been able to utilize or connect with us to discover what platforms you should use to reach your audience.


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