Unauthorized Obama Times Square billboard ad irks White House

Washington, Jan 7 (ANI): The latest celebrity to grace a Times Square billboard is none other than US President Barack Obama.

But the White House isn't happy with the move, saying the president's image is not supposed to be used for commercial purposes, reports Fox News.

President Obama became an unwitting billboard model Wednesday, when a clothing company posted a massive ad showing him wearing one of their jackets during a recent diplomatic tour.

Obama is seen standing before the Great Wall of China with his hands dug into both pockets of his Weatherproof Ultra-Tech jacket, above the caption, "A Leader in Style." The picture was snapped during Obama's trip through China in November, the ad explains.

"The White House has a longstanding policy disapproving of the use of the president's name and likeness for commercial purposes," White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said in a written statement. (ANI)