Wendy’s, the fast food chain widely known for its family values and square shaped burgers is hosting a user-generated content (UGC) video contest for consumers to share their favourite Wendy’s moments and keep themselves in free burgers for a full year.

The 30 seconds of Wendy’s contest is promoting itself through a video contest where entrants can upload a 30 second video telling the world about Wendy’s. Either discussing the food chain, a good meal you had there, a chance encounter or personal experience. The contest began on October 12, 2009 and runs through November 5 with one winner being declared for every day.

Participants who wish to enter the contest need to visit YouTube and create their free account first. Afterward they can visit the restaurants channel at www.youtube.com/wendys and follow the links and instructions to upload and submit a video to receive one entry.

Each day the sponsor of the contest, Wendy’s International Inc. will choose one winner to receive free burgers for one year. All of the submissions will be carried over into subsequent entry periods, with entrants being allowed to submit as many unique entries as they would like.

Winners will be selected within seven days after the end of each entry period by a panel of judges. The highest scoring submission based on the judging criteria of 50 per cent originality, 25 per cent humour and 25 per cent creativity, will ultimately win the prize.

Wendy’s is following in the line of many companies entering the social media space in engaging their consumers by allowing their voices to be heard and thus building their own brand ambassadors.