Credit card commercial with guy with Russian accent

There is a commercial running on network TV for a credit card (of course, I can’t remember which one right now) with a guy speaking with a Russian accent and talking about how fast he can use his card buying and paying things on the internet. The point is how fast he is, even down to the racing stripe on the side of what looks like his jogging suit. He has a younger guy there with him who backs him up on how fast he is.

Is the guy playing the Russian, Robin Williams? Some of the mannerisms and his smile at the end of the commercial sure reminds me of Robin Williams, a master at accents and impersonations.

Nope.

The Citi ads were created by Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess. Roman (the Russian) is from New York and Victor (the younger man) is from Los Angeles.

These have got to be the most annoying commercials running on national TV at the moment. My guess is that they’re derived from a Borat-inspired, clueless-nerd-from-Eastern-Europe meme. And who is Victor? Is he the older guy’s employee? Son? Catamite?

Thanks for the answer, jayjay.

I couldn’t remember the credit card company, and of course, I never saw it after I was watching for it to find out who the company was, so I couldn’t find anything on a web search about it.

When I see these, I don’t have a clue what they’re about (other than something with a credit card). It seems like some crazy babbling while another guy does something stupid. Of course, I’m only half listening, but that’s true with most commercials.

It’s one of those high concept commercials that probably sounded very cool at the ad agency, but in reality you miss the joke unless you’re paying very close attention from the beginning so you get the setup. I suspect most people don’t.

Yeah, but I find myself unmuting the television when they come on. There’s something strangely mesmerizing about them. Kind of like Napoleon Dynamite. So, in my case at least, the commercial works.

I think it only works if you end up using the product. :wink:

“Annoying, very, very, very annoying!”

I hate those stupid commercials. Very obviously riding Borat’s coattails. Or trying to and obviously failing miserably.

This reminds me of those commercials for the ACURA line of cars, when they were firts introduced…they showed rocks and trees, and a zenlike voice told you about integrity…“like a good set of tools”.
Ihad NO idea what they were trying to sell! :eek:

I thought those were the original Lexus commericals: As you said, very zen-like, showing glimpses of landscape, but nowhere was there an actual image of, like, a car. From what I recall, this is supposed to be an example of a really poorly thought-out ad campaign.

You have to love the Google ads on this page though:

NYU Study Abroad - Prague
English Pronunciation DVD (Free Demo-To improve Spoken English Free American Slang Book. Learn Now)

I hate these commercials, but I thought the guy had a German accent. I actually asked MrSin why anyone would want to use Hitler as a spokesperson.

It’s not a German accent. It’s Eastern European or Russian.

This, coupled with the fact that these commercials began weeks ago, makes me wonder why anyone would think these commercials have anything to do with Borat.

That’s just me.

The commercials feature a cluess nerd with an Eastern European accent traveling around America. As for the timing, there’s been buzz about the Borat movie for months, long before the commercials started.

QED.

Clueless? Not really. Just a bad dresser.

I didn’t realize Borat had an Eastern European accent. As far as I can tell, the only similarity between the two is a foreign accent.

While there may have been a buzz about Borat, it wasn’t particularly significant outside of Ali G watchers.

I’m fairly certain those commercials were for Infiniti.

Now that you mention it, I’m sure you’re right.