Don't Buy This 2.0

How to use

Offline Version

• Show students a slide or picture of a common object (e.g. a microwave, backpack, mug).
• Students work in pairs or small groups.
• Their task: pretend they’re marketers with a strange job — convincing people not to buy the item!
• Encourage them to use funny, exaggerated, or even ridiculous reasons.
• Useful phrases can be shown to support their ideas.
• After preparing, groups present their “anti-ads” to the class in a short pitch.

Variation: Set a challenge — they must give the most convincing bad reason in just 30 seconds.

Online Version

• Share the image or slide via screen share or post it in the chat.
• Send students into breakout rooms in small teams.
• Their mission: create a quick ad campaign against the item shown.
• Give them 2–3 minutes to brainstorm with help from the sentence starters or phrase list.
• Bring everyone back to the main room to perform or explain their ideas.

Variation: Do a rapid-fire round — each group gets a random item and only 1 minute to come up with 3 ridiculous reasons!