Do you read Arrested Downton? It’s a Tumblr blog that takes scenes from Downton Abby and overlays quotes from Arrested Development. Yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds, particularly if you’re a fan of both shows. Or did you read the news the other day about a Tumblr user who combined headlines from The Onion with stills from Star Wars? This sort of mashup of pop-culture is common on the internet but it’s most often individuals who are doing that kind of thing. Because it involved often conflicting intellectual property it can be tough for brands to do so.

Which is why I found this so amusing while exploring Twitter Moments, which launched on Tuesday.


//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

That’s right, The Smithsonian – THAT Smithsonian – put together a series of Tweets featuring classic works of art overlaid with quotes from Mean Girls. The effort was undertaken on 10/3, which is known far and wide as Mean Girls Day, so ordained because there’s a line in the movie that references that date. It was a fun and clever way to tie the brand’s product (classical art) with something immediate in the culture.

When we’re talking about content marketing we often will get into conversations about voice and style and related topics. And we’ll give clients advice on how and when to participate in real-time cultural moments in a way that’s not, for lack of a better term, lame. Like your dad trying to be funny when your friends are over.

Likewise, it’s important to pick your moments on executions like this. Too often and they fade into the background and are no longer worth anyone’s attention. Too few and it comes off as disjointed and da little desperate when you do jump in. Remember that you’re participating in a conversation that’s not about you but about the fandom – whatever that fandom is – and you’ll be well on your way to doing this right.