Laid-off banker finds work as Obama mimic in Turkish ad

By Stephanie Gesselle

A Turkish bank campaign is using a Barrack Obama look alike to promote low-interest loans. A month before President Obama is scheduled to visit the country, Pennsylvania born Michael Lamar is being used to sell the banks own stimulus plans on television. His commercial portrays the look alike, dressed in a suit, standing at a podium, in front of American Flags. As a casualty of the world economic crisis, Lamar’s image is anticipated to promote hope for the country. Lamar’s appearance in these ads comes as ironic after he was recently laid off from his 18 year position with the J.P Morgan company. The actor is being backed by a talent agency that specialized is celebrity look a likes with hopes of a continuing career in the media. The campaign is also being used in hopes of improving the United States approval rating in Turkey, which is the lowest of almost any other country. "Bush was a dictator who attacked other countries," said Abdurrahman Ozdemir, who sells cigarettes from a small stall on the street. "But we love Obama ... because he does not want to go to war with other countries.” This reflects other opinions in the country.