• February 26, 2009

Hardee's will start airing 16 user-created TV spots in markets throughout the Midwest and Southeast this week. Other ads, too racy for TV, will also run on YouTube.

The ads culminate a consumer campaign launched last fall to promote Hardee's downsized version of its 1/3 pound Thickburgers, called Little Thickburgers. The company let consumers create their own ads via an online "Ad Generator" at www.hardees.com. They could choose descriptive words to appear above each respective burger in the ads. They could then submit the ads for consideration.

The company said it offered no promotional prizes, but still garnered some 30,000 entries.--Karl Greenberg