Some animal-lovers also argued that the image of a boy holding the frog upside down was cruel, our correspondent adds.

BBC: Venice removes Charles Ray Boy with Frog statue

His last post, on February 12, linked to an Instagram image of himself with a young boy on prosthetic limbs with the message, "In the run up to the launch of my foundation in July I will give at least 10 kids mobility!"

CNN: Who is 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius?

Mr Villar's image is built on his description of himself as a boy from a poor family who worked hard and became a rich businessman.

ECONOMIST: Anyone but Arroyo

Mr Bush will never entirely escape from his frat boy image indeed his very likeability may be one of his strongest weapons against the cold Al Gore.

ECONOMIST: The timing of the shrub | The

In the early days, Sheen enjoyed a James Dean-ish red carpet image, but he gradually began to take on the persona of Ozzy Osbourne during his bad boy heyday.

FORBES: Charlie Sheen: Don't Make Him an American Idol

Marketing angle: "We're making the gorgeous Game Boy Micro for image-conscious folks who love video games, the ones who want the look of their system to be as cool as the games they play on it" according to George Harrison, Nintendo of America Sr.

ENGADGET: The Game Boy Micro: What we know