Participants have until August 7, 2026, to produce and publish original 30- to 60-second commercials featuring the company's menu. Entries must be posted to social media platforms using the tags @CarlsJr and the hashtags #MyCarlsJrAd and #Carls85th. The campaign seeks to leverage the brand's established identity for bold, over-the-top advertising by encouraging users to submit everything from scripted ads to original musical jingles.

Following the submission window, the selection process shifts to a public bracket-style competition. Ten finalists will be announced around August 23, entering a head-to-head voting phase where audience engagement will help determine the outcome. A committee will then weigh these metrics alongside their own scoring to select the ultimate winner. According to CMO Burge Diemer, the initiative serves as a way to honor the customers who have sustained the brand since its inception. While the contest is open to legal U.S. residents 18 and older, residents of Florida, New York, and Rhode Island are excluded from participation.