That selfie that Red Sox slugger David Ortiz took with President Barack Obama on Tuesday may have been part of a marketing stunt.
Now, Ortiz is taking some heat, NECN reports, after it emerged that Samsung coached him on how to snap his widely-tweeted White House photo.
Samsung acknowledged Wednesday that it had a relationship with Ortiz and the Red Sox and that it had helped him take his photo, and Sports Business Journal reported Monday that Ortiz just signed a new endorsement deal with the mobile provider.
"It was an honor to help him capture such an incredible and genuine moment of joy and excitement," Samsung said, comparing his selfie to the star-studded one that Ellen DeGeneres took at the Oscars.
The White House said Wednesday that Obama wasn't aware of the marketing stunt.
Ortiz snapped the photo with the president Tuesday as his team, last year's World Series champs, was being honored at the White House. Ortiz presented Obama with a personalized Red Sox jersey, which they're holding in the photo.
Within moments, the photo was retweeted thousands of times.
What an honor! Thanks for the #selfie, @BarackObama pic.twitter.com/y5Ww74sEID
— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) April 1, 2014
Obama, a Chicago White Sox fan, told the team that several members of his administration are Red Sox fans and praised the team for its win and for bringing the city of Boston together in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings.
"Obviously, all the wins were sweet for Red Sox fans, but I think for the nation as a whole, there was something particular about this squad that was special and will go down in history," the president said.
He said the team represented the grit and resilience of one of America's iconic cities during one of its most difficult moments.
Photo Credit: @davidortiz