Motley launches ‘Cards Against Advertising’, a satirical card game on agency culture

New Delhi: Independent creative agency Motley has launched Cards Against Advertising, a parody party card game designed to reflect the challenges and quirks of the advertising and marketing industry. The game comprises 150 cards depicting the chaos, clichés and difficult realities of the sector, using humour as a lens to explore work culture.

Inspired by the format of Cards Against Humanity, the game has been developed under Motley Orgnls, the agency’s internal initiative supporting crew-led creative projects. Positioned as both satire and commentary, Cards Against Advertising reflects shared experiences across advertising, marketing and creative services.

Advertising is widely recognised as a high-pressure industry, often associated with long hours and cultural burnout. Many professionals enter the sector driven by ambition and creativity but face challenges that are rarely discussed openly. The game has been conceived as a way to recognise these shared experiences and create space for reflection through humour rather than instruction.

“This is more than just a game; it is a unique advertising-specific party experience,” said Priyanka Surve, Founding Partner and Creative Head at Motley. “It’s a product designed by people who work in the industry, for people who live its realities every day.”

The project is part of Motley’s broader approach to workplace culture and creative ownership. Unlike traditional internal initiatives, Cards Against Advertising emerged through Motley Orgnls, which allows crew members to propose independent creative ideas. Selected projects receive production support from the agency, with profits shared with the creators over time.

“In an industry driven by ideas, it’s important that creative ownership extends beyond client work,” said Jason Menezes, Founding Partner and Business Head at Motley.

“Motley Orgnls exists because creativity shouldn’t just earn a salary, it should build equity, ownership, and pride.”

The content of the cards has been written by professionals across roles, including creatives, strategists, account managers and interns. Scenarios reference common industry moments such as late-stage presentation changes, internal alignment calls, pitch pressures, workplace jargon and informal conversations outside official forums. The intent is to create a space where toxicity can be released harmlessly, collectively and humourously.

The game is designed for small teams to large gatherings and is intended for those who have worked within the creative ecosystem, including agency professionals, former agency employees and clients familiar with the industry.

Gameplay typically runs between 30 and 90 minutes and is suitable for players aged 18 and above. Expansion packs focusing on copywriters, designers, social media professionals and more are planned for the future.