Mysterious Ad Campaign With Obama Appears Around London

Published on September 23rd, 2008

(Click photo to enlarge.)

I saw this billboard yesterday on platform 4 at London Waterloo train station. At first I thought that it was some kind of sneaky political message from the Labour party showing approval for Obama. The ad gives no indication of what it is since there is no text in it. The number 10 (referring to the Prime Minister’s residence) in the ad would make you think that the incumbent is giving some kind of approval to Obama. However, there are other similar ads around, which can be seen here. While going home I also saw the same billboard at Clapham Junction.

Update:
Well, The Times has revealed that it was the company behind the advertisements. Thanks to ‘Bob’ in the comments section of this post for the link to the story.

24 users responded in " Mysterious Ad Campaign With Obama Appears Around London "

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# 1 pedro said, on September 23rd, 2008 at 10:09 pm

Naive question: Isn’t it weird the ammount of attention that foreign powers have gotten into this US election? How many times has this happened?

# 2 Ah_Yea said, on September 23rd, 2008 at 10:15 pm

Could it be that Barak has realized he could loose this election and has decided to run for Prime Minister?

(After all, Kenya was part of the British Empire, wasn’t it?)

# 3 Digby said, on September 24th, 2008 at 1:22 am

Obama, and a nation filled with cameras spying on itself. Hmmmm. Good match. Plus, he’ll have lots of free time after November, when he is a do-nothing Senator again. One thing, the people of Illinois have not really lost anything while he has spent the last two years running. He has accomplished nothing, same as always. But, notice how Hillary is now just blazing away in the Senate, doing SOOOO much work for the people of New York and the US? Funny, that.

# 4 Lou Minatti said, on September 24th, 2008 at 3:38 am

“Plus, he’ll have lots of free time after November, when he is a do-nothing Senator again.”

Obama will throw Biden under the wheels within 2 weeks, then hold his nose and “choose” Hillary.

# 5 contempt said, on September 24th, 2008 at 4:07 am

#3 Digby

You called it! Of course now that he has the backing of the foreign masses the next logical step for the self-appointed messiah will be to run for world dictator.

# 6 QB said, on September 24th, 2008 at 4:53 am

Pedro, you’re closest to figuring this out.

# 7 Paddy-O said, on September 24th, 2008 at 5:03 am

#1 “How many times has this happened?”

Since 2000 the EU people have been obsessed with our elections.

# 8 keaneo said, on September 24th, 2008 at 5:11 am

What is this? A kaffee klatch for all the neocon nutballs?

The whole world is affected for decades by the schmucks with their finger on the nuclear trigger – to take it all the way back to the 50’s.

The only difference is that – with the Web – all the parochial, timid conservative mice finally get to see what’s going on outside their “secure” little mousehole.

# 9 Paddy-O said, on September 24th, 2008 at 5:24 am

#8 “What is this?”

Naw, it’s been different. By going to the EU every few weeks I’ve seen the change 1st hand over the last couple of decades. Obsessive is the correct term for what has happened since 2000.

# 10 contempt said, on September 24th, 2008 at 5:40 am

#8 keaneo

And you make it sound so wonderful being you.

# 11 green said, on September 24th, 2008 at 5:49 am

The #10 to numerology freaks signifies anything to do with the rising of the antichrist.

But that’s just crazy talk .

# 12 chuck said, on September 24th, 2008 at 5:58 am

Its’ funny, the guy who took the picture decided that 10 must be “ten” as in 10 Downing Street.

I see ” I O ” – it could be the binary number 10 (which is 2) or it could be I/O (input/output).

I don’t know what it means. It’s just interesting the conclusions that people jump to.

# 13 QB said, on September 24th, 2008 at 6:17 am

#10 contempt (coincidence?)

I think it’s his own way of saying that you’re becoming predictable.

# 14 contempt said, on September 24th, 2008 at 6:29 am

#13 QB

You may be right, but there is a lot to be said for predictable stability over fanatical hate.

# 15 JimD said, on September 24th, 2008 at 6:48 am

Obviously, it means that England WILL BECOME THE 51ST STATE – UNDER OBAMA !!! Welcome to the USA Blighty !!!

# 16 Net Nanny said, on September 24th, 2008 at 7:10 am

I ignore all internet posts from those that obviously never learned how to spell when they were in school.

Yes, words like “school” have two letter “o”s… but “lose” is not one of those words.

I know it is a hopeless cause, but hey, maybe one person will stop spelling this word incorrectly. That’s one more than there was before at least.

What ever happened to the education system. It is badly broken.

# 17 QB said, on September 24th, 2008 at 7:48 am

Come on guys, this is kind of obvious. The Democrats have signed up 14,000 voters this summer alone in England – most of them under 35. This is stealth style marketing that tends to leave Republicans scratching their heads for some reason.

Or to put it in CNN/Fox talk: “They are getting out the vote for their base.”

# 18 Paddy-O said, on September 24th, 2008 at 7:56 am

#17 Actually here is a good article by the DLC on the Dem “base” and Obama’s difficulty in pulling off the election this year.

Of course, you won’t see this as a blog story here as this is a pretty liberal blog.

# 19 QB said, on September 24th, 2008 at 8:10 am

#18

That’s a pretty good article but really points to the question of whether Reagan Democrats will go back to the Dems.

What’s interesting in this election for me is how the demographics are changing all over the place. After close to 40 years of shifts and stalemates which started with Nixon I get a feeling things are shifting again.

I think the Dems are jumping on it first. This will probably be the last election the Republicans rely on their traditional approaches which have served them well for several elections. Newer faces like Jindal will shake up the party.

# 20 Paddy-O said, on September 24th, 2008 at 8:17 am

#19 “That’s a pretty good article but really points to the question of whether Reagan Democrats will go back to the Dems.”

I don’t know. It is a pretty chaotic election this time ’round. I think Obama will pull it off. The Dems could have run a mannequin this time and won. It is definitely Obama’s to lose.

# 21 QB said, on September 24th, 2008 at 8:53 am

Paddy, you’re dead on. I said “interesting”, you said “chaotic”. I think you have a better description.

# 22 James Hill said, on September 24th, 2008 at 1:56 pm

Liberals fear the truth.

# 23 Rick Cain said, on September 24th, 2008 at 10:33 pm

Its probably just viral advertising for an upcoming Obama visit to the UK.

# 24 Bob said, on September 27th, 2008 at 1:23 am

It was part of series of ads by The Times.

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