As someone who loves pop culture, I find that incorporating themed “This or That” icebreaker questions into events is a great way to create a fun and engaging atmosphere. By using pop culture as the basis for your questions, you can tap into your guests’ shared interests and experiences while also encouraging them to connect with each other on a deeper level.
How to incorporate Pop Culture themed This or That questions
To incorporate pop culture-themed “This or That” questions into an upcoming event, follow these steps:
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Choose a specific theme or genre of pop culture that you want to focus on for your icebreaker activity. For example, you could choose movies, TV shows, music, books, video games, or sports.
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Prepare a list of questions beforehand that are related to the chosen theme or genre. Make sure the questions are relevant and interesting to your guests, and avoid any potential triggers or sensitive topics.
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Print out the questions on cards or display them on a screen or a poster board. Encourage your guests to form small groups of 3-5 people and take turns asking each other the questions. You can also create a rotation system where each group moves on to the next question after a set amount of time (e.g., 2-3 minutes).
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Make sure everyone has a chance to answer each question and listen actively to their responses. Encourage follow-up questions, comments, and discussions that build on the initial answers. You can also share your own insights and opinions about the chosen theme or genre to keep the conversation flowing.
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After everyone has had a chance to answer all the questions, gather your guests in a larger group and ask them to share their favorite or most surprising answers. You can also use this opportunity to highlight any commonalities or connections that emerged during the activity.
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Consider using some of the insights or stories that came up during the “This or That” icebreaker as a springboard for further conversations and activities throughout the day. For example, you could organize a trivia game based on the chosen theme or genre or create a photo booth with props inspired by popular culture references.
Ideas on different themes of questions
To keep your pop culture-themed icebreaker questions fresh and engaging, you can explore different themes and categories that are relevant to your guests’ interests and experiences. Here are some ideas:
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Classic vs Modern: Ask questions that compare or contrast classic and modern versions of a particular theme or genre (e.g., “Old Hollywood movies or blockbuster action flicks?” or “Vinyl records or digital music?”).
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Popular franchises: Ask questions about popular movie, TV show, or video game franchises that have a large following and cultural impact (e.g., “Marvel Cinematic Universe or DC Extended Universe?” or “The Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy?”).
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Critically acclaimed vs commercially successful: Ask questions that explore the tension between critical acclaim and commercial success in pop culture (e.g., “Indie movies or mainstream blockbusters?” or “Literary fiction or bestsellers?”).
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Fandoms: Ask questions about specific fandoms, fan cultures, and subcultures that have emerged around popular media properties (e.g., “Star Trek or Star Wars?” or “Comic book conventions or music festivals?”).
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Crossovers: Ask questions that combine different genres, themes, or franchises to create unexpected connections and combinations (e.g., “Superhero movies or romantic comedies?” or “Hip hop or classical music?”).
By incorporating these different themes of questions into your pop culture-themed icebreaker activity, you can keep your guests engaged and entertained while also fostering a sense of community and shared interest. So why not give it a try and see how it can enhance your next event!
My favorite Pop Culture themed This or That questions
- The Office or Parks and Recreation?
- Friends or Seinfeld?
- Breaking Bad or The Sopranos?
- Beyonce or Rihanna?
- The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
- Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead?
- Stranger Things or Black Mirror?
- The Simpsons or Family Guy?
- South Park or Futurama?
- Disney or Pixar?
- YouTube or Twitch?
- Snapchat or Instagram?
- Pizza or burgers?
- Ice cream or cake?
- Harry Styles or Zayn Malik?
- Lizzo or Billie Eilish?
- The Kardashians or The Jenners?
- The Rock or Vin Diesel?
- Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie?
- Ryan Reynolds or Chris Hemsworth?
- Tom Hanks or Tom Cruise?
About the author
Jon Zajac
Founder & Chief Icebreaker
I started Icebreaker Spot because I truly believe that strong connections are the foundation of successful teams. I wanted to create a platform that would make it easy for people to find and share icebreakers and team building activities, empowering them to build trust, foster collaboration, and ultimately, achieve greatness together.