White House Idol

Communication Hubs. Opinion Leaders. Influencers. Whatever you call them, any communications pro knows these are the people that set the tone for discussion, interest and action. When I like a book, I tell a few friends. When Oprah likes (liked?) a book, she told millions…and they bought.

So what better pitchman than the Leader of the Free World. President Obama may not be on Al Green’s payroll, but when the Commander in Chief crooned a few bars of Reverend Green’s classis hit “Let’s Stay Together” at a recent fundraiser, the nation took notice. They heard. They saw. They purchased.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, once the video of Obama’s performance went viral, the song experienced a 490 percent jump in sales. If his reelection bid falls short, Obama can always pay the bills on the infomercial circuit.

False Hope

The iconic Obama “Hope” image created by artist Shepard Fairey has led to a series of lawsuits. Fairey used a photo taken by AP photographer Mannie Garcia to create his image. The AP is arguing copyright infringement while Fairey claims the image falls under fair use provisions. Garcia, now a freelancer, wants no part of the argument. paidContent.org sums everything up. Read the full story here.