JUST THE FACTS: Colorado native Shaun Bruce (28) and Michigander David Roth (25) met in Austin at the University of Texas' advertising graduate program. Prior to meeting, Roth pursued dramatic arts at the University of Michigan and Bruce was a journalism major at the University of Colorado; Employ - hired full time at Amalgamated in Sept. 2006 following an internship.

To intern or not to intern: Roth and Bruce met with Amalgamated CDs independent of each other at the One Show's portfolio review in 2005. Amalgamated was interested in the friends, but Roth and Bruce were originally unsure if they'd actually landed an internship at Amalgamated. "Their hiring process was one of the shadiest in the world. They sent us emails that were so ambivalent about whether we had internships," says Roth. "I don't think there was ever a proposition," adds Bruce.

A New York hate-on: A dodgy intern offer wasn't the duo's only concern. "We did look like partners because I was dead-set on moving to New York and Dave was dead set against it," says Bruce. "I just found everyone unfriendly," offers Roth, who spent time interning at McCann Erickson in NY. "I took every taxi honk personally, I had no money and I was living in Murray Hill. I guess I appreciate it now." Bruce goes one further by outing his partner: "The other day he said he loved it!"

Best work: After about two months of interning, the pair was hired full time. Shortly thereafter they were handed a job for Ben & Jerry's. Bruce says that strategically, the client was having a hard time with the concept of advertising. "They'd done work on a social level, but to do branding was different for them. It was a little dangerous in their minds because they've got such a down to earth, artisanal image," he says. Cues for the crafty spots, based on the punny names of B&J's products, were taken from papier-mache dolls of the company's founder that were created by a customer.

Advertising matters: While the charming Ben & Jerry spots were eye-catching, they apparently worked too. "Sales went up on all flavors that we did, as well as over all sales," says Roth. "I never realized how excited I would be when a brand's sales went up."

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