Weatherproof Exploits Obama's Image Without Permission!

Filed Under: Fashion Smashion Models Barack Obama Ad Campaigns

Talk about a model president!

Say what you will about President Barack Obama, but there's no denying the man's a looker. With that in mind, outerwear company Weatherproof has decided to take advantage of a picture perfect situation.

When Weatherproof president Freddie Stollmack saw a picture of the President Obama in front of the Great Wall in Badaling, China, he noticed that the coat the president was donning seemed mighty familiar. After closer inspection with a magnifying glass, his suspicions were confirmed: the president was indeed wearing a Weatherproof jacket.

Now, most people would probably be pretty excited and might even send the photo to a few friends, maybe some colleagues, etc. Apparently none-too-bold, Stollmack decided to take it to the next level by blowing up the picture and putting it on a gigantic billboard in the middle of Times Square, tagged with the line, "A Leader In Style."

Unfortunately for Stollmack, Weatherproof failed to get the permission of the White House before doing so.

White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton said on Wednesday that the White House has long disapproved the employment of Obama's name and/or likeness for commercial use.

The photograph was originally taken by the Associated Press's Charles Dharapak, and Weatherproof did buy the rights to use the photo from AP, but Weatherproof still needed to get further clearance from the White House before plastering the (admittedly rugged and handsome) image across a Times Square billboard.

Still, Stollmack insists that the company's use of the photograph is completely legal: he says, "[the President] didn't come to us. It's just a great looking jacket on a great looking president."

Well, that's true. But the president is photographed wearing brand name suits, shirts, and pants all the time, and you don't see all those other companies exploiting those images for their commercial benefit.

Stollmack shopped the ad around, but it was turned down by The New York Times, the New York Post, and Women's Wear Daily. Smart on their behalf! We have a feeling this will get ugly, especially considering how smug Stollmack is: "We did this in good faith. This is an image that we thought would enhance the president of the United States."

Right.

Still, it's pretty smart of Weatherproof. Regardless of what happens, this is definitely going to get lots of attention.

Bet he'll be hearing from lawyers any day now!

[Image via AP Images.]

Posted: January 6, 2010 at 6:30 pm