Ad Libs

In an industry where a creative idea must survive one approval process after another and every piece of the puzzle is hashed out in meeting upon meeting, there would seem to be little room for spontaneity. But unscripted moments do find their way into ads—sometimes they transform an idea entirely, sometimes they add a small but notable detail. For example, one comedic touch in a new Subway spot is the shot of a neighbor videotaping the man washing his car in a cheerleading outfit.