ROAD RUNNER HIGH SPEED ONLINE

Jerks play a useful role in advertising—not in adagencies, you understand, but in the ads themselves. We meet one such character in this spot on the joys of getting Road Runner's high-speed Internet hookup installed. The spot opens with a business meeting. As the big boss is orating, an underling's cell phone rings, and everyone glares at him. But he's got an excuse: "Sorry, we're expecting." Speaking to his wife, he says, "Now!? I told you I wanted to be there. See if you can stall a little." That last sentence elicits raised eyebrows as Mr. Expectant rushes out. But his colleagues don't know the half of it. As the scene shifts, the guy's at home and we realize that what he was "expecting" was the installation of his Road Runner High Speed Online hookup for the Internet. The man is, clearly, a jerk. But he's a type we quickly recognize as the Authoritative Jerk—i.e., the sort who figures all the angles and gets the best deal. We wouldn't care to hang out with him, but we've learned to follow his lead when it comes to buying something. If this is the sort of customer Road Runner cultivates, we're inclined to believe its service must be pretty good.Agency

The Ungar Group,

Chicago

Client

Edward Don & Co., North Riverside, Ill.

Creative Director/

Copywriter

Tom Ungar

Art Directors

Mark Ingraham

Mete Moran

Typography

Ingy

Photography

client archivesAgency

Shepardson Stern Kaminsky, New York

Client

Road Runner,

Herndon, Va.

Creative Director

Alexander Duckworth

Art Director

Glenn Price

Copywriter

Howard Lenn

Agency Producer

Alisa Cohen

Production Company

Panic & Bob, Toronto

Director

David McNally