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TSA's thirst for Instagram fame pays off with three Webby awards

People really enjoy looking at dogs and confiscated knives.

Who do you think would win Webby awards for its social media marketing prowess? A cutting-edge brand that resonates with the young crowd? A superstar who can break the Internet with one picture? Actually, it's... the TSA. Yes, the same agency that takes your water bottle at the airport (among other instances of security theater) just bagged three social content marketing Webby awards for its Instagram feed.

The wins are ironic when TSA agents are notorious for their lack of humor (jokes are more likely to get you a pat-down than a laugh). One look at its feed explains exactly why it won, though: its Instagram account is thirsty as hell. The feed is virtually dominated by adorable sniffer dogs, inventive drug smuggling and strange weapons. Even if you ignore the cheeky yet informative write-ups, the TSA's photos virtually beg for reposts and can-you-believe-this Facebook shares.

It's a cynical strategy, to be sure, but the thousands of likes per post suggests it's effective. We're just wondering why the TSA's Facebook and Twitter presences are helpful, but as dry as a bone -- you do want our attention, don't you TSA?