DALLAS Pizza Hut Inc. on Wednesday launched a promotion that combines customer-created videos, the YouTube.com video-sharing website and some tongue-in-cheek creativity.
To draw attention from YouTube's legions of fans, the 10,600-unit division of Louisville, Ky.-based Yum Brands Inc. is inviting consumers to nominate themselves as "America's favorite pizza fan." The contender selected as fitting the bill will be designated an honorary vice president of pizza and will receive a $25,000 "salary," a three-month lease on a "company car" and free pizza for a year. He or she might make appearances on behalf of Pizza Hut, the chain indicated.
To enter, participants must create a video of up to two minutes that shows Pizza Hut pizza and why they deserve the title. Details are atwww.pizzahut.com/vpofpizza.
"We have some of the most passionate pizza fans in the world," said Bill Ogle, Pizza Hut chief marketing officer. "We want to find the top candidate among pizza fans and reward that person as our VP of pizza. We think a true pizza lover makes the best spokesperson for Pizza Hut." Pizza Hut is also using the websites of CareerBuilder.com and MySpace to generate interest in the promotion.
Entries will be accepted until March 18. Three finalists will be selected, and their videos will be posted on the Pizza Hut website from April 9 to April 22, when visitors to the site can vote on the final winner. The winner will be announced in late April.
