Tourists and New Yorkers were amazed to see a huge advertising banner depicting the President of the United States on one of the buildings on the main street of the city – Times Square.
The banner featured an advertisement for the Weatherproof Garment Company, an outerwear company. Obama is depicted on a shield in a company jacket against the backdrop of the Great Wall of China. The picture was taken by the Associated Press during the last year’s official visit of the American president to China.
According to a White House spokesman, no one gave consent to the use of the president’s image. As well as the use of the image of the first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, who appeared a few days earlier in an advertisement for the animal protection organization PETA (along with Obama, TV presenter Oprah Winfrey was involved in the advertisement, who also did not consent).
Residents and guests of the metropolis reacted differently to the banner. Many people didn’t like the advertisement.
“I think this is disrespectful. He is a young man, he has a family, but I do not understand why he should be portrayed in the pictures other than our president, ”says 59-year-old Joe Ponsonby, who shot the billboard on his mobile phone.
Company representatives said they did not want anything bad.
“We are by no means promoting our product at the expense of Obama. We’re just happy to finally have a stylish president and want to share this news with everyone, ”said Weatherproof Garment Company.
Some time ago, TV personality Oprah Winfrey launched a large lawsuit against more than 50 companies, accusing them of illegal use of her name in commercials.