The Obama Jacket
January 6, 2010 7:58 PM Subscribe
Surely somebody at that advertising agency had at least seen that one scene from Chasing Amy.
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:12 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:12 PM on January 6, 2010
I had one of those Obama jackets. It looked nice when it was new, but it fell apart after six months.
posted by eatyourcellphone at 8:15 PM on January 6, 2010 [24 favorites]
posted by eatyourcellphone at 8:15 PM on January 6, 2010 [24 favorites]
Barack Obama as celebrity spokeperson.
I didn't hear him spoke nuthin'...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:18 PM on January 6, 2010
I didn't hear him spoke nuthin'...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:18 PM on January 6, 2010
nola: that's what my employer keeps telling me
posted by aubilenon at 8:18 PM on January 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by aubilenon at 8:18 PM on January 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
“legally, the framework is that it’s very unclear where the First Amendment ends” and where public officials’ right to control their endorsements begins.
1. that just reads all kinds of mealymouthed BS to me.
2. Quite the way to ensure the president never wears your merchandise again
3. But I will say Obama could have been a model, he does wear it well.
posted by edgeways at 8:18 PM on January 6, 2010
1. that just reads all kinds of mealymouthed BS to me.
2. Quite the way to ensure the president never wears your merchandise again
3. But I will say Obama could have been a model, he does wear it well.
posted by edgeways at 8:18 PM on January 6, 2010
Change has come to your closet.
posted by Joe Beese at 8:19 PM on January 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Joe Beese at 8:19 PM on January 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
"I am Barack Obama and I did not approve this coat."
posted by orange swan at 8:22 PM on January 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by orange swan at 8:22 PM on January 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
Looks like a nice jacket, but their website wanted me to create a password, downloaded flash modules, resized my browser, and didn't have a buy now button that I could find, so ... never mind.
But great advertising gimmick there, guys.
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:22 PM on January 6, 2010
But great advertising gimmick there, guys.
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:22 PM on January 6, 2010
Damn, there goes my idea for advertising my "Obama bongs."
...though he sure looks awesome smokin' that bong!
posted by not_on_display at 8:23 PM on January 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
...though he sure looks awesome smokin' that bong!
posted by not_on_display at 8:23 PM on January 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
Yeah, well, Bush endorsed audio books.
Which he listened to upside down, of course.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:27 PM on January 6, 2010
Which he listened to upside down, of course.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:27 PM on January 6, 2010
Damn, I don't know what they did to firefox, but it won't go back now.
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:28 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:28 PM on January 6, 2010
Not the first time. I've seen clips from Obama speeches used on various credit card debt relief commercials.
posted by Saxon Kane at 8:29 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by Saxon Kane at 8:29 PM on January 6, 2010
pics or it didn't hap...oh, sorry.
posted by cjorgensen at 8:42 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by cjorgensen at 8:42 PM on January 6, 2010
The White House has a longstanding policy disapproving of the use of the president’s name and likeness for commercial purposes
Uh, what about all those newspapers and magazines with his face on the cover? Does the WH disapprove of them?
posted by spiderskull at 8:43 PM on January 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Uh, what about all those newspapers and magazines with his face on the cover? Does the WH disapprove of them?
posted by spiderskull at 8:43 PM on January 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
I had one of those Obama jackets. It looked nice when it was new, but it fell apart after six months.
If I worked for The North Face or something I would steal the shit out of that.
posted by turgid dahlia at 8:45 PM on January 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
If I worked for The North Face or something I would steal the shit out of that.
posted by turgid dahlia at 8:45 PM on January 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
You know, right after the election, the fried chicken shop a block and a half from where I live here in Harlem (might have been a Kennedy Fried Chicken before it changed; I can't remember) renamed itself Obama Fried Chicken. (The one in this photo; they say their reporter noticed it just a few weeks before that, but the original name change happened significantly earlier, in the winter. He must not live in the neighborhood.) Pretty quickly, the sign changed from OBAMA FRIED CHICKEN to BAM FRIED CHICKEN, presumably because they were asked not to use the name.
Several months later, surreptitiously, all the missing letters reappeared, but since they were newer and less faded, the effect's a little jarring: it's OBAMA FRIED CHICKEN now.
posted by ocherdraco at 8:55 PM on January 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
Several months later, surreptitiously, all the missing letters reappeared, but since they were newer and less faded, the effect's a little jarring: it's OBAMA FRIED CHICKEN now.
posted by ocherdraco at 8:55 PM on January 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
twoleftfeet: "Yeah, well, Bush endorsed audio books."
flapjax at midnite: "Which he listened to upside down, of course."
Bush was on to something there. I often wish I could have lived the years 2000-2008 backwards.
posted by MegoSteve at 8:57 PM on January 6, 2010
flapjax at midnite: "Which he listened to upside down, of course."
Bush was on to something there. I often wish I could have lived the years 2000-2008 backwards.
posted by MegoSteve at 8:57 PM on January 6, 2010
HURF DURF NADER PONY
posted by joe lisboa at 9:00 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by joe lisboa at 9:00 PM on January 6, 2010
Flapjax, Snopes has busted that one.
Oh, I knew that. Funny anyway, though.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:29 PM on January 6, 2010
Oh, I knew that. Funny anyway, though.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:29 PM on January 6, 2010
I like the photo of Stollmack trying to give the coat to the naked cowboy.
posted by angrycat at 9:33 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by angrycat at 9:33 PM on January 6, 2010
The Queen of England endorses all kinds of products.
posted by ZenithNadir at 10:01 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by ZenithNadir at 10:01 PM on January 6, 2010
The use of Michelle Obama's image in a recent PETA campaign can be considered as a companion story to this, I think, given the similar White House responses.
posted by emilyd22222 at 10:10 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by emilyd22222 at 10:10 PM on January 6, 2010
I love all the sleazy refinancing ads that show up online saying "Obama wants you to refinance (select state)" or whatever.
posted by delmoi at 11:54 PM on January 6, 2010
posted by delmoi at 11:54 PM on January 6, 2010
Hey, speaking of that, has anyone else seen the refinancing banner ads with pictures of people with grotesquely distorted (photomanipulated) faces? I think it's an attention-grabber or something, but it freaks me right the fuck out. I've seen them on Talking Points Memo, I think. Maybe also Wonkette or The Comics Curmudgeon... What the hell is the deal with that?
posted by mr_roboto at 12:02 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by mr_roboto at 12:02 AM on January 7, 2010
Running this ad through principle component analysis, notice the round dark artifact on Obama's chest. JPEG artifacts are rectangular, not round. That is where the artist removed his nipple.
posted by jeremy b at 2:26 AM on January 7, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by jeremy b at 2:26 AM on January 7, 2010 [4 favorites]
jeremy b: "That is where the artist removed his nipple."
Man, I've heard of suffering for your art, but some people just overdo it...
posted by PontifexPrimus at 2:39 AM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Man, I've heard of suffering for your art, but some people just overdo it...
posted by PontifexPrimus at 2:39 AM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
That coat absolutely screams socialism.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 5:17 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 5:17 AM on January 7, 2010
The use of Michelle Obama's image in a recent PETA campaign can be considered as a companion story to this...
Yep, as it's also mentioned in the FPP's linked NYT's article.
posted by ericb at 6:19 AM on January 7, 2010
Yep, as it's also mentioned in the FPP's linked NYT's article.
posted by ericb at 6:19 AM on January 7, 2010
If I worked for The North Face or something I would steal the shit out of that.
North Face has their own controversy of late. They've recently sued the teenage entrepreneur who started a T-shirt company: 'South Butt.'
posted by ericb at 6:22 AM on January 7, 2010
North Face has their own controversy of late. They've recently sued the teenage entrepreneur who started a T-shirt company: 'South Butt.'
posted by ericb at 6:22 AM on January 7, 2010
Small world! I took that photo of the Obama Fried Chicken place (I live a block away but rarely walk down that stretch of St. Nicholas). The owner is a very enthusiastic immigrant supporter of Obama who didn't realize that joining Obama and Fried Chicken might be considered in poor taste. Carl Redding, who owns Doc's across the street, asked him to change the name.
Further uptown there is the Obama Country Deli (self-link to Flickr).
posted by plastic_animals at 6:25 AM on January 7, 2010
Further uptown there is the Obama Country Deli (self-link to Flickr).
posted by plastic_animals at 6:25 AM on January 7, 2010
Oh boy, I can't wait to see the right wing blogs pick up on this, with their whole, "THE PRESIDENT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ELOQUENT OR POPULAR! HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A LONER WITH A TEXAN DRAWL WHO NOBODY LIKES!"
Come to think of it, that sounds a lot like music fans complaining about their favorite band "selling out."
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:36 AM on January 7, 2010
Come to think of it, that sounds a lot like music fans complaining about their favorite band "selling out."
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:36 AM on January 7, 2010
This is just another example of a company saying "I'm going to do whatever the hell I want" and not really caring who they annoy. Well, I'm annoyed because the gimmick seems dishonest if not predatory on Obama's image. Consequently, as an informed consumer, I now want to actively avoid ever buying from this company. That would be an advertising fail.
posted by Muddler at 6:52 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by Muddler at 6:52 AM on January 7, 2010
So basically Weatherproof heard about that American Apparel ad with Woody Allen?
posted by shakespeherian at 7:48 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by shakespeherian at 7:48 AM on January 7, 2010
I had one of those Obama jackets. It looked nice when it was new, but it fell apart after six months.
I still have mine. Funny thing is, a lot of my hipper and more progressive friends said it was pretty cool when I was looking it over in the catalog. "Finally," they told me, "a jacket that looks like it was made by adults and for adults."
They let on that they thought it'd just all around be a much better jacket than the one I had been wearing -- a regrettable gift my family in Florida had given me.
But the minute I got the Obama jacket -- I mean, pretty much the moment the UPS package arrived at my door -- they started dissing it. And when I put it on -- hoo, boy. "That's worse than your last one!" they all yelled whenever they saw me.
And when I made the mistake of saying I was cold when we were traipsing around in 10 below weather one time, some of the nastier ones snarked, "Guess your fancy new jacket ain't so great after all. I thought it was supposed to make you bulletproof and weatherproof and solve all your problems instantly."
Jeez. It's just a jacket, folks.
posted by lord_wolf at 7:52 AM on January 7, 2010 [17 favorites]
I still have mine. Funny thing is, a lot of my hipper and more progressive friends said it was pretty cool when I was looking it over in the catalog. "Finally," they told me, "a jacket that looks like it was made by adults and for adults."
They let on that they thought it'd just all around be a much better jacket than the one I had been wearing -- a regrettable gift my family in Florida had given me.
But the minute I got the Obama jacket -- I mean, pretty much the moment the UPS package arrived at my door -- they started dissing it. And when I put it on -- hoo, boy. "That's worse than your last one!" they all yelled whenever they saw me.
And when I made the mistake of saying I was cold when we were traipsing around in 10 below weather one time, some of the nastier ones snarked, "Guess your fancy new jacket ain't so great after all. I thought it was supposed to make you bulletproof and weatherproof and solve all your problems instantly."
Jeez. It's just a jacket, folks.
posted by lord_wolf at 7:52 AM on January 7, 2010 [17 favorites]
I've seen clips from Obama speeches used on various credit card debt relief commercials.
That plus the "Obama encourages moms to go back to school" and "Obama urges homeowners to refinance" ads on the web. I thought that's what the article was going to be about.
posted by Foosnark at 8:23 AM on January 7, 2010
That plus the "Obama encourages moms to go back to school" and "Obama urges homeowners to refinance" ads on the web. I thought that's what the article was going to be about.
posted by Foosnark at 8:23 AM on January 7, 2010
Kevin M. Greenberg, a lawyer who handles intellectual property cases, said that while Weatherproof should have obtained consent from Mr. Obama as a matter of practice, “legally, the framework is that it’s very unclear where the First Amendment ends” and where public officials’ right to control their endorsements begins.
While Mr. Obama could probably get an injunction against Weatherproof’s use of his image, “the advice any good lawyer will give is sometimes there are fights not worth fighting,” said Mr. Greenberg, a partner at Flaster Greenberg in Philadelphia.
The White House could almost certainly get an injunction and and the New York Times should probably talk to a New York lawyer about a case over a New York billboard that would likely be litigated under New York law. That would include Article 5 (specifically Sections 50 and 51) of New York's Civil Rights Law which provides perhaps the broadest protection over the use of a person's image to imply commercial endorsement of any such law in the country. New York courts interpret that law very broadly. If the White House cared, this would likely be a slam dunk. IAAL. IANO'sL (sadly).
posted by The Bellman at 8:35 AM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
While Mr. Obama could probably get an injunction against Weatherproof’s use of his image, “the advice any good lawyer will give is sometimes there are fights not worth fighting,” said Mr. Greenberg, a partner at Flaster Greenberg in Philadelphia.
The White House could almost certainly get an injunction and and the New York Times should probably talk to a New York lawyer about a case over a New York billboard that would likely be litigated under New York law. That would include Article 5 (specifically Sections 50 and 51) of New York's Civil Rights Law which provides perhaps the broadest protection over the use of a person's image to imply commercial endorsement of any such law in the country. New York courts interpret that law very broadly. If the White House cared, this would likely be a slam dunk. IAAL. IANO'sL (sadly).
posted by The Bellman at 8:35 AM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'd be more outraged if he didn't look so damn good in it that I want to go check out how much it... ah, never mind; between the stupid Flash interface and doofy longhaired model, not worth the effort.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:41 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:41 AM on January 7, 2010
They let on that they thought it'd just all around be a much better jacket than the one I had been wearing -- a regrettable gift my family in Florida had given me.
lol metaphorter
posted by jeremy b at 9:32 AM on January 7, 2010
lol metaphorter
posted by jeremy b at 9:32 AM on January 7, 2010
I saw the text of the FPP and thought it was going to be about things like Obama attending the announcement of the 2016 Olympics site, Obama having a beer with Those Two Guys, etc. And I was all ready with a comment about how I'm beginning to see the wisdom of the practice many countries follow of having separate heads of state and government.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:14 PM on January 7, 2010
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:14 PM on January 7, 2010
"Though Weatherproof has claimed that they didn’t think permission was necessary, since the ad wasn’t technically an endorsement, this seems far-fetched: more likely, they were counting on a free dose of publicity, whether or not the ad would have to be taken down prematurely. Does this count?posted by ericb at 1:23 PM on January 7, 2010
Will Weatherproof’s piggybacking stunt be worth it? According to Ben Smith, the German clothing manufacturer is likely setting itself up for a fall, given New York’s legal restrictions against using a person’s likeness in advertising without his or her consent:'A couple of sources, including a New York lawyer who knows the state law on the issue well, say the company’s on quite thin legal ice, citing section 50 of New York Civil Rights law, which says that "A person, firm or corporation that uses for advertising purposes, or for the purposes of trade, the name, portrait or picture of any living person without having first obtained the written consent of such person, or if a minor of his or her parent or guardian, is guilty of a misdemeanor."
Woody Allen won a substantial settlement against American Apparel under the law.'" *
But the minute I got the Obama jacket -- I mean, pretty much the moment the UPS package arrived at my door -- they started dissing it. And when I put it on -- hoo, boy. "That's worse than your last one!" they all yelled whenever they saw me.
Sigh. Sometimes I think Mother was right about not marrying a mortal. They can be so touchy.
I'm sorry I was such a shrew about your jacket. It makes you look very handsome. And even though the sleeves are only held on with duct tape at this point, I promise you it's much, much nicer than your previous one, which was covered with weird bloodstains from all those foreign hunting trips I begged you not to go on, and gave off a rank odor of corruption. I was so glad when you peeled off that nasty thing and threw it in the trash. I'd been begging you to get rid of it for years. I never understood why you were so attached to it - it was only your father's old Andover blazer gussied up with some tacky, stapled-on cowboy fringing. I was always surprised by how many people believed you when you told them you'd bought it in Texas.
Now, put on the O jacket and come to bed. We'll have an exotic fantasy night! I'll rip out the jacket's 'Made in USA' label and sew in a Kenyan one. Then you can snap in that secret, sexy, silky-soft Muslin lining I've heard you boasting about. Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
posted by eatyourcellphone at 4:29 PM on January 7, 2010
Sigh. Sometimes I think Mother was right about not marrying a mortal. They can be so touchy.
I'm sorry I was such a shrew about your jacket. It makes you look very handsome. And even though the sleeves are only held on with duct tape at this point, I promise you it's much, much nicer than your previous one, which was covered with weird bloodstains from all those foreign hunting trips I begged you not to go on, and gave off a rank odor of corruption. I was so glad when you peeled off that nasty thing and threw it in the trash. I'd been begging you to get rid of it for years. I never understood why you were so attached to it - it was only your father's old Andover blazer gussied up with some tacky, stapled-on cowboy fringing. I was always surprised by how many people believed you when you told them you'd bought it in Texas.
Now, put on the O jacket and come to bed. We'll have an exotic fantasy night! I'll rip out the jacket's 'Made in USA' label and sew in a Kenyan one. Then you can snap in that secret, sexy, silky-soft Muslin lining I've heard you boasting about. Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
posted by eatyourcellphone at 4:29 PM on January 7, 2010
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posted by oneswellfoop at 8:03 PM on January 6, 2010