Obama Selling Jackets In Times Square

Recently PETA splashed Michelle Obama's image all over their Fur-Free ads in D.C., without permission — and now her husband's image is being used in an ad for a jacket company, also without White House approval.

Weatherproof Garment Company's billboard in Times Square features a photograph of the President on a recent trip to the Great Wall in China, where he's wearing one of their jackets. The ad declares: "A Leader In Style." The White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton told ABC News that they have "a longstanding policy disapproving of the use of the President’s name and likeness for commercial purposes," and will be asking the company to remove the campaign.

However, Weatherproof president Freddie Stollmack says they will be keeping the billboard up, and on top of that, are looking for new spots to put additional ones. He says, “we’re not demonstrating that Obama is endorsing our product. We are just basically very happy to see that after 100 years we finally got a stylish president.” And according to the Post, "he thinks the White House should congratulate his company on making Obama look so good."

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By Jen Carlson in News on January 7, 2010 8:44 AM

Comments [rss]

GhostFish88

Obama Stylin', Profilin', Gonna Go BuckWil'in'!!

longacre

Pretty brilliant campaign, since they knew it would cause a commotion and they'd get millions of dollars worth of free press out of it...

...that is until Obama sics the IRS, Customs, OSHA and every other possible regulatory agency on Weatherproof and Mr. Stollmack.

VanessaNYC

All I can say is: Obama is handsome.

etypical

Finally a hottie in the White House. Whew!

hotstepper

alright you two...stop objectifying him and keep it in your pants, etc.

elpollodiablo

America: a country that has had presidents for 100 years

Gwinny

They said it's the first stylish president we've had in 100 years. In other words, to Weatherproof, Theodore Roosevelt had some kickass style.

sexisicilian

Yeah but is it security proof?!

hotstepper

the Obama billboard is actually a stunning image, unlike PETA who are a bunch of hacks.

1stephanie

I wish he could control the use of his likeness. Those Obama condoms are cringe-inducing.

hunter.blatherer

Thanks. I did not need to know about that :-/

Brian Denton

President Obama is the new Che Guevara: the man whose face the hip kids wear on their shirts but whose policies they are entirely unfamiliar with.

books

Brian, how can you tell by looking at the the hip kids that arent familiar really with Che Guevara?

What do you think Che symbolizes? Is that what a che t-shirts represent? What does a US flag symbolize? Does the US flag represent every aspect of America?

You sound judgemental. Ask your why and you'll learn something from it.

S.D.

Well, 4 of the kids I met had no idea who Che was...

Papercutninja

Che Guevara represents a genocidal murderer. Obama, not so much.

Thespis

Obama isn't a genocidal murderer? You're obviously not watching enough Fox "News."

Papercutninja

No, he's just going to jail those who don't have health care once the bill is passed. My conspiracy theorist/Fox News watching in-laws ACTUALLY TOLD ME THAT.

Brian Denton

As a general rule, I do not make more than one post in internet comment sections. However, I wish to clarify my previous statement.

My intention is not to say that Obama is a genocidal maniac like Che. That would be ridiculous. I was merely expressing my impression that, like Che, Obama is more about style than substance, particularly with younger people.

books

"As a general rule, I do not make more than one post in internet comment sections."

hahaha. you're too funny. Re: Che being a 'genocidal maniac'. I dont even know what to say to that, except maybe you look at a dictionary first.

genocide - the murder of a whole race or group of people

Who did Che commit genocide against? U.S. sugar companies?

Do you know why the Cuban revolution took place? Read up on it. You'll find its because of the ideals of that revolution that Che is so popular to so many people around the world.

Genocide looks more like this...

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

Do you get upset when you see people wearing a US flag on their lapel? For you to judge lil old che, a symbol of something, while likely looking at say US flags, another symbol of something, and be offended by one and not the other is not really logical. Its shows your bias.

As a young person, you shouldnt have such ill informed opinions. These opinions have been fed to you so that you dont question the status quo. I suggest you start reading and thinking for yourself more.

Peace