Barack Obama on the London Underground - What is this?

Last night, on the London Underground's Jubilee Line, I was struck by a series of sharp images adorning my carriage.

Alongside each other, left to right, were an image of Barack Obama in front of Number Ten Downing Street, a Golden Football, a young boy in swimming shorts, and a woman in a sports vest stretching.



I've been racking my brains as to what these images, posed against black backgrounds, could represent. On my way into work this morning I saw the boy and the ball on the barriers at Homerton London Overground station, and a billboard of the woman at Highbury and Islington. What are they for?



My intial thought was that it must be something to do with the London 2012 Olympics, particularly as the Jubilee line and the London Overground both terminate at Stratford. Apart from the lack of use of the much-maligned London 2012 Olympic logo, my main concern with this, however, is what does Barack Obama outside Number Ten Downing Street have to do with it, and why would his image be used for a current campaign in this country?

Is it that Barack Obama is more likely to be the leader of his country than our own Gordon Brown a few months, let alone a few years, down the line? Is this nothing at all to do with the Olympics and more to do with our relationship with America? Barack Obama, Golden balls (David Beckham's nickname, of course) - but what of the kid and the woman? Is it outdoor Barack Rolling?

I'm going to keep an eye on this as it has piqued my interest. It isn't the most original marketing in the world to create this kind of buzz, but it seems to be locally targeted and it must have something more to say. Watch this space.