The Subway Gambit

Hey, it’s Sam.

Welcome to the first issue of Social Syntax! Today, we’ll dive into a Subway India advertisement video.

How Do You Use Conflict in Your Story?

Fast food chains like McDonald's, KFC, and Domino's have standardized recipes with precise instructions to maintain consistency in taste.

But Subway takes a different route

Customers create their sandwiches by choosing from a variety of ingredients and combinations.

The first time I went to buy a Subway, it was pretty confusing and overwhelming.

You don’t know which sauce will taste good.

I did what a sensible person would do: I said yes to everything he asked me to put in that sub.

The only easy part of the ordering process was when they asked:

"Do you want extra cheese?"

I sat down and started removing the things I didn’t like. In the end, I ate bread and cheese and paid $5 for it.

(Jk, a friend selected all the ingredients for me—it was tasty.)

Subway’s Solution: The Hotsellers’ Menu

To ease the hassle, Subway introduced a curated menu of popular options. Customers can now point and choose without any brainstorming.

The Subway Gambit

Click here to see the full ad from Subway India.

(For those who aren’t in the mood to watch this, here’s the breakdown.)

Viswanathan Anand (former world chess champion), a man known for his genius on the chessboard, walks into a Subway.

He approaches the counter to order a Sub. But then a series of questions begins:

• "What bread do you want?"

• "What size?"

• "Which pickles?"

• "What veggies?"

• "Which sauce?"

• "Do you need extra cheese?"

He gets overwhelmed and starts scribbling on a tissue paper like he’s strategizing his next chess move.

And then this happens: 👇

He starts sweating like the Jordan Peele meme and ends up running into a glass door and breaking his back.

But imagine this:

You’d never picture Tom Cruise, Shah Rukh Khan, or any big celebrity having trouble choosing their sauce at Subway.

Casting Viswanathan Anand, one of India’s smartest minds, facing an everyday struggle makes the ad relatable. You can picture Vishy peacefully eating a Sub in the subway, it doesn’t feel unbelievable.

Perfect Storytelling

Introduce Conflict, Then Resolve It:

• The Problem: Choosing Subway’s endless options can be overwhelming.

• The Struggle: It’s not easy to figure out the best combo.

• The Solution: You don’t have to worry anymore—Subway now offers Hotsellers Menu.

Craft a Hero’s Journey:

• The Problem Feels Personal: Anand’s confusion mirrors the experience of many first-timers.

• The Hero Evolves: By introducing Subway’s Hotsellers, the ad subtly shows progress and relief.

A great story has a beginning, setbacks, and a resolution—and this ad nails it.

That’s a Wrap for This Week!

If you made it to the end, thanks a ton.

Quick favor: I’d love to hear your thoughts on this issue. Let me know what you liked or what could be better so I can keep making stuff that helps you crush it in your content creation.

Catch you next week! 😊

Social Syntax is a weekly newsletter dedicated to helping you improve your social media marketing strategies. Every issue provides thoughtful analysis of high-performing content, actionable insights, and practical takeaways to support your growth.

📩 Delivered every Monday at 4 PM.