Virtual Background Contest
Participants compete with creative, themed virtual backgrounds in video calls, sharing stories behind their choices.
Virtual Background Contest leverages video conferencing features to create an engaging icebreaker for remote teams. Participants are given a theme (dream vacation, favorite movie, childhood memory) and must set their virtual background accordingly. Each person presents their background and tells the story behind it. This activity encourages creativity, personal sharing, and makes excellent use of technology that remote workers use daily.
Objective
Leverage video technology creatively while encouraging personal sharing and team bonding.
- Video conferencing platform with virtual background feature
- Announced theme in advance
How to Play
Announce the Theme
1 minSend the background theme 1-2 days in advance: "Your dream vacation", "Your favorite movie", "Where you'd time travel", etc.
Set Up Technical Instructions
2 minProvide instructions on how to set virtual backgrounds on your platform. Ensure everyone knows how to use the feature.
Unveil Backgrounds
3 minAt the start of the meeting, everyone enables their background. Give participants a moment to view everyone's choices.
Share Stories
20 minEach person shares their background and explains the story or significance (1-2 minutes each).
Vote and Award
4 minOptional: vote on categories like "Most Creative", "Best Story", "Most Inspiring".
Pro Tips
Send theme and technical instructions 48 hours in advance so people can prepare.
Variations
Try these variations to adapt the game for different contexts and group sizes.
Changes:
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