How is this styled?

http://i.imgur.com/I9LpV.jpg

I like this haircut a lot, but I'm not sure what's in his hair. I use pomade but it never holds well at all and there is always a few stray strands that make it look stupid.

For reference - this is my hair on a particularly good day. http://imgur.com/flGuo

I'll gladly take haircut advice.