A recently raised billboard in New York featuring President Obama wearing a Weatherproof jacket will now be going down after just three days. The question mainly discussed in the article was one of legality and ethics. The picture had been acquired and licensed through the Associated Press and Obama had taken no part in any of the decisions leading to the use of his likeness in the billboard.
While it was a bold move for Weatherproof to use Obama's picture on the billboard, the aspect of this article that I found much more interesting was how it reflects the role and portrayal of the President in the United States today. With the media's coverage today, the President is looking more like a simple figurehead than anything *cough* Nobel Prize *cough*. Even the First Lady has been featured in ads by PETA condemning the wearing of animal fur based on a simple passing statement that she does not wear fur.
10 comments:
I think that this was a very good selling point for the copany. who dosent want to be like the president right? I like the add it looks pretty cool and i would say that if i could afford a really expensive jacket i would get one. But the fact they used his liknes without his permission isnt a big deal,i think.....Cartoonists do it all the time and people on SNL or MadTv who impersonate hin do they have hs permission?
I HAVE to say this. People are WAY too obsessed with this man. I mean sure, FDR, JFK, Clinton, Gore, Pelosi, and many others get their fair share of appropriate, professional attention but this is just ridiculous. WHO CARES? This is not aimed at Jebsen, he's just pointing this out. I'm talking to Weatherproof and the Nobel Peace Prize awarders. Get over the guy. He's the President now, he's been President for a year, and people STILL want to marry him.
WHERE IS ALL THE BUSH LOVE PEOPLE!?
@Amanda: The principle difference and problem here is the fact that you used his likeness for a private advertisement.
how they* used his likeness
Don't know how that typo happened lol
Although this billboard could sway someone's opinion, the situation is not as serious as it might be. Obama is simply wearing a jacket, not advocating violence or something. But perhaps these are baby steps that could lead to controversial propaganda if not controlled. As someone with great influence, however, Obama should be portrayed as a leader through actions and not appearance.
-Molly Cheng
So I have some comments that concern this post. First, I definitely agree. Obama has become a figure head more than a president or a Nobel peace prize winner. We need to start taking our heads out of our butts and realize the seriousness of our recession. We are losing jobs DAILY.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/08/december-jobs-numbers
The number of jobs are decreasing slower than previous months, but come on. People are still losing jobs, and Obama needs to start making more drastic changes.
Amanda, I don't think you got Jebsen's point. I'm pretty sure Obama was the main subject here, not the company.
Andrew, "Bush love"... really? Considering Obama changed the increasingly declining jobs to a decreasing rate of declining jobs might be good enough for half the country. Maybe that's why everyone is all obsessed with him--because Obama actually did something. However, I still think Obama can do more.
I think that this is really interesting and cool that the president can now be an icon in the fashion/clothing market! This also brings to my attention that Michelle Obama has been in various fashion magazines whereas when the Bush family was in office, I've never seen Laura Bush or George Bush in as many magazines as compared to the Obamas.
This reminds me of the countless news reports on whether Obama would be able to keep his blackberry in the White House. The guy’s pretty awesome, but there do not need to be so many different stories on his personal life. I don’t think that the obsession craze with Obama will end any time soon, especially if he really does help the economy bounce back. In the mean time, we will just have to deal with it.
i like to move it move it
Its not that it is just a private advertisement that makes using President Obama's face but also that people could take it negatively. "Oh, our president is selling his face to companies for money" Something along those lines I believe. Don't models like that get a lot of money?
I think that people still losing jobs has nothing to do with what Obama has not already done. Its just that the economy does not bounce up that fast.
Post a Comment