Mumbai, 18 December: Mumbai-Based independent creative agency Motley has launched Cards Against Advertising, a parody party card game that reveals industry truths while giving people a healthier way to process them. The game comprises 150 cards that reflect the chaos, clichés, and some toxic truths of the advertising world, using humour as a lens to examine its work culture.
Inspired by the format of Cards Against Humanity, the game has been developed under Motley Orgnls, the agency’s internal initiative that supports crew-led creative projects. Positioned as both satire and commentary, Cards Against Advertising reflects shared experiences across advertising, marketing and creative services.
Advertising remains one of the most influential industries globally, while also being frequently associated with long hours, high pressure and cultural burnout. Many professionals enter the field driven by ambition and creative energy, only to encounter challenges that are rarely acknowledged openly. The game was conceived as a way to recognise these shared experiences and create a space for reflection through humour, rather than critique or 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 reflects Motley’s broader approach to workplace culture and creative ownership. Unlike traditional internal initiatives, Cards Against Advertising emerged through Motley Orgnls, which allows its 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. The scenarios referenced draw from common industry moments – late-stage presentation changes, internal alignment calls, pitch pressures, workplace jargon and informal conversations that often happen outside official forums. The intent is to create a space to release toxicity harmlessly, collectively, and humorously.
Designed for groups ranging from small teams to large gatherings, the game is aimed at anyone who has worked within the creative ecosystem, including agency professionals, former agency employees and clients with a self-aware understanding of the industry. Gameplay typically runs between 30 and 90 minutes and is intended for players aged 18 and above. Expansion packs focusing on Copywriters, Designers, Social Media and more are planned for the future.
The card game comes amid ongoing conversations within the advertising industry around burnout, mental health and sustainable work cultures. While Cards Against Advertising does not position itself as a solution, it seeks to offer a shared, light-hearted way to acknowledge collective experiences through humour and self-reflection.
If anyone wants to play this card game with their colleagues, they can simply DM the agency on their official Instagram handle @motleyhq
