How a product battle campaign works
A product battle shows two options side by side and asks a simple question: which one do you prefer? People tap their favourite, and the next battle appears. It's "this or that" as a game — quick, a little competitive and surprisingly hard to stop playing.
In Scratcher each option is a picture, and the two are shown with a "vs." between them, so you can battle products, designs, flavours, destinations or statements. You can show a short text after each choice, for example a fun fact or what most people picked. At the end, people see a result page or are sent on to a page of your choice — such as your webshop or a new collection.
Add a sign-up form and a prize, and the battle becomes a campaign that collects leads and shows you exactly what your audience prefers.
When to use a product battle
A product battle is the right choice when you want clear answers about preferences, with a format that feels like a game rather than a survey.
- Retail and e-commerce: find out which products, styles or collections people like best.
- Food and drink: let people choose between two flavours, dishes or drinks and crown a favourite.
- Product development: test two designs, names or packages against each other before you launch.
- Travel and hospitality: beach or mountains? City or countryside? Show your offers at the end.
- Events and entertainment: run "this or that" battles between artists, themes or event moments.
7 ideas for your product battle
- "Flavour fight." Two flavours at a time — the most popular one comes back next season.
- "This or that style." Battle outfits, colours or interiors and link to the collection at the end.
- "Which phone case wins?" Pit two designs against each other at a time, and launch the favourite.
- "Design duel." Test two packaging designs before you go to print.
- "Dream holiday." Battle destinations and give everyone a discount on their next trip.
- "Classic vs new." Pit your best-seller against a new product and see if it can win.
- "The final." Run a tournament over several days and announce the overall winner.
Tips for a product battle that converts
Tip #1: Make every battle a real choice
The fun is in the choice. If one option is clearly better, the battle is boring.
- Pair options that are equally attractive.
- Use pictures of the same size and style.
- Keep the question the same in every round.
Tip #2: Keep it quick
Five to ten battles is usually enough. People should finish in a minute and want to see their result.
- Put your most exciting battle first to get people hooked.
- Keep the number of rounds small, so the end is never far away.
- Save the toughest choice for last.
Tip #3: Give something back after each choice
A short text after each choice keeps people curious.
- Share a fun fact about the product they picked.
- Tell them what most people chose.
- Add a little humour — it fits the format.
Tip #4: Make the result worth it
End with something people want.
- Link to the products from the battles, so people can buy them.
- Give everyone who finishes a discount code.
- Add a prize draw for everyone who finishes. See how prizes work.
Tip #5: Use the choices in your marketing
Every battle tells you something about taste. Send the answers to your email tool with our integrations, and recommend products people are likely to love. For real product recommendations, see our product finder.
Tip #6: Share the winners
Post the results on social media or in your newsletter. "You voted, and the winner is…" is a great follow-up that brings people back for the next battle.
Make your first product battle
Pick a template, upload your pictures and set up the battles. You don't need a designer or a developer, and you can often be live the same day. Want to let people judge many items quickly? Try swipe it. Want to crown a winner among many nominees? The vote game is made for that. Read more about using battles and other formats for guided selling.
