Using memes on social media always puts brands in a precarious position.
Adopt one too early, and everyone is livid at you for ruining it. Post one too late, and you’re even less cool than everyone already thought you were.
It’s often a no-win situation, and today the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department did themselves no favors in meme land.
We already covered how horrific and haunting this dancing Winnie GIF is. It looks like what you see when you stare into the murky waters of the River Styx.
Why police in D.C. thought it should be used as a thing of celebration, I don’t know. But they did.
When you see police sirens in your rear view but the person behind you gets pulled over & not you: pic.twitter.com/bPvIuMjX2V
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) January 31, 2017
That’s not pleasurable at all. People called the meme, much like a detective might, dead on arrival.
https://twitter.com/charles_kinbote/status/826475336057643008
That’s not the only thing though. It’s also very weird for a police department to be making light of everyone’s very real fear of the police.
People told them as such.
https://twitter.com/johansilentio__/status/826474426833190912
When I see someone else getting pulled over I take out my cell camera and aim it right at you. I don't dance.
— Sarah DH (@sdavidh) January 31, 2017
— DaveS (@darsal) January 31, 2017
https://twitter.com/McLeemz/status/826494751390232581
https://twitter.com/xmasape/status/826474462426062849
https://twitter.com/justinmduke/status/826477339198435328
"when the police pull someone else over for petty bullshit in order to extort him for money to feed the growing state" https://t.co/wabmcepxfd
— Joe Gabriel Simonson (@SaysSimonson) January 31, 2017
People also expressed confusion over the language.
https://twitter.com/dcwriter360/status/826473247625637888
SEE police sirens?? Are you ok over there??
— PineWoodsRunner 🌲 (@PineWoodsRunner) January 31, 2017
Of course, there were reminders of any possible inappropriate action ever taken by the D.C. police, just in case they ever forgot.
https://twitter.com/ThisIsLain/status/826475514865008640
https://twitter.com/LolaSikes/status/826492146534449152
you arrested journalists and legal observers at the inauguration protests https://t.co/5GIgUKsmuc
— (begrudgingly) @okayyyyamy.bsky.social (@okayyyyamy) January 31, 2017
They say never tweet, but maybe also never meme.