• by Karl Greenberg , July 6, 2009

Chipotle Mexican Grill, the national burrito chain, is extending its "My Chipotle" ad campaign, which it launched in May, by asking consumers to write its next TV spot. The company is dangling $10,000 to whoever writes the winning ad submission, and says it may put the winner's favorite food combination on its menu.

The "My Chipotle" campaign, via Butler Shine Stern and Partners, Sausalito, Calif., launched with online, print, and out-of-door elements in Sacramento, Denver, Dallas, Chicago and Cincinnati. The effort also includes a dedicated Web site, mychipotle.com, where consumers can upload content and view content submitted by other users. The effort was launched to get consumers hip to what Chipotle claims are over 60,000 menu-item combinations.

The company says the effort has garnered hundreds of submissions and registered thousands of users at the My Chipotle Web site.

Winners will be determined by a panel of Chipotle marketing staff and the company's advertising agency based on how well they discuss Chipotle menu items while remaining consistent with the company's values and image. Chipotle will announce winners Aug. 26.

The first-prize winner will receive $10,000 and may have his/her burrito added to the Chipotle menu for a limited time. Second prize is $5,000 and a party at a local Chipotle restaurant for 50 people, and third prize will be burritos for a year. Entries must be submitted via mychipotle.com by Aug. 14. Any spots submitted to mychipotle.com could be used in the company's ongoing advertising.

The My Chipotle campaign is based on research that many customers, who do not understand the variety of menu choices, were ordering the same thing every time they visited one of the chain's restaurants.

The Denver-based company says the majority of 2009 marketing and promotional spend will have been in the second and third quarter in support of the campaign. Chipotle Mexican Grill reported revenue up 16.1% to $354.5 million, with comparable restaurant sales up 2.2% in the first quarter.

The company, which opened 26 new restaurants during the first quarter this year, plans a total of 120 to 130 openings this year, and predicts full-year restaurant sales to increase by low single digits.