What is Commercial Battle?

Commercial Battle splits the room into teams of 4–6, hands each one a product or service, and sends them off to build a complete ad campaign: a unique selling proposition, a target market, and a script or storyboard to pitch it. Teams present live, as slides, or as a mock-up video ad, and a panel of judges scores each one on creativity, persuasiveness, and how well the pitch lands with its stated audience.

It works because a live pitch forces teams to defend choices they'd otherwise skip. Naming an actual target market and defending an actual selling point in front of the room does more for real marketing thinking than an hour of brainstorming that never gets tested — and the debrief afterward turns those defenses into specific, usable feedback.

Skip it for a quick meeting or a room without a real presentation setup — this one wants a stretch of 90–120 minutes and a space with an actual presentation area, not just a circle of chairs. It's built for corporate workshops, team-building retreats, university business courses, and marketing seminars with room to plan ahead, not a fast daily huddle.

The rules

Split into teams of 4–6, and hand each one a product or service to advertise.
Build a full campaign — a unique selling proposition, a target market, and a script or storyboard.
All brainstorming and scripting happens inside the prep window, not before or after.
Each team gets 3–5 minutes to present, live, as slides, or as a mock video ad.
Judges score on creativity, persuasiveness, target-market fit, entertainment value, and overall impact.
No copying another team's idea, and keep the content workplace-appropriate.

Before you start

Group size: 8–36 participants, in teams of 4–6. Split the room evenly. More participants just means more teams competing, not bigger teams.
Materials: everyday objects, flip-charts, markers, paper. Gather a stack of odd or common objects to hand out as the products teams advertise. Digital devices are optional, for research or a mock-up video ad.
A room with a real presentation area. Set up clustered tables for team planning and a clear stage, podium, or presentation area up front — test any microphone, projector, or screen ahead of time.
Judges, briefed in advance. Arrange seating where judges can see every team present, and hand them the scoring criteria — creativity, persuasiveness, target-market fit, entertainment value, overall impact — before the round starts.
A stack of products or services to assign. Have enough random products or services ready that every team gets one without repeats.

How to run it

Introduce the rules and judging criteria 5–10 min
Walk the room through the objective, the rules, and how judges will score the commercials, before any team touches their product.
Form teams and assign products 3–5 min
Split into teams of 4–6 and hand each one a random product or service to advertise.
Teams prepare 45–60 min
Teams brainstorm, name a unique selling proposition, identify a target market, and build the format and script for their commercial.
Teams present 3–5 min each
Each team presents live, as slides, or as a mock-up video ad — judges score on creativity, persuasiveness, target-market fit, entertainment value, and overall impact.
Judges debrief 10–15 min
Judges give constructive feedback by category, naming what worked in each team's commercial and what to sharpen next time.
Award recognition 3–5 min · optional
Optionally name a winning team, or hand out awards by category, to close the round.

← 45–60 minutes to build it, 3–5 to sell it.

Facilitator tips

Assign products with careBe mindful of cultural sensitivities when handing out products or services, and ask teams to keep their portrayal and messaging respectful.

Let teams choose their own group mixOffer same-ability or mixed-ability teams during formation — the choice keeps the activity comfortable for a wider range of participants.

Set the ground rules before judging startsRemind the room to listen actively and stay respectful during feedback — say it out loud before the debrief, not after.

Offer accessible presentation optionsProvide optional accessibility guidelines for scripts and visuals so every team can build a presentation that works for them.

Why it works

A pitch has to survive questionsJudges score on how well the campaign fits its target market, so teams can't just brainstorm and stop — they have to defend a real unique selling proposition out loud, in front of the room.

Real stage time, low stakes3–5 minutes in front of judges is short enough to stay low-stakes and long enough to require an actual pitch — practice for the pacing and nerve public speaking takes.

The product is picked for youTeams don't choose what they're selling — the random assignment forces a USP and target market built from scratch, not leaned on a product they already know.

The debrief hands back specificsJudges give feedback by category — creativity, persuasiveness, target-market fit — so teams leave with a concrete note on what worked, not just a score.

HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I like how much real marketing thinking this one packs in — teams have to name an actual unique selling proposition and defend it to a room, not just brainstorm and move on. The competitive edge, plus the debrief afterward, turns the exercise into something people actually walk away having learned from."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

For workshops, retreats, and courses that want the debrief — these turn the pitch into an actual marketing lesson.

What specific aspects of your team's creative process contributed to the success of your commercial?Surfaces what actually worked — worth repeating on the next project.
How did your group handle disagreements or differing opinions while creating the commercial?A real read on how the team communicates under a deadline.
In what ways did you adapt your initial ideas to fit the product or service you were assigned?Adapting to a constraint is a real marketing skill, not just a game skill.
What strategies made your unique selling proposition clear and persuasive?Clarity and persuasion are the two things every real campaign needs.
How did your team make sure the commercial would appeal to your target market?Tailoring to a specific audience is the core skill this activity practices.
What made your commercial entertaining, and why do you think that worked?Names what actually captures attention — useful well past this activity.
How confident did you feel presenting, and what would you improve for next time?A direct, low-stakes read on presentation skills.
What did you learn about marketing and advertising that you'd apply to a real situation?Connects the exercise back to work people actually do.
How did your team's dynamic change over the course of the activity, and what did that do to the final product?Team dynamics and output are more connected than most people assume.
What would you do differently in a similar activity next time?Closes on transfer — what the team takes forward.