SmartStop Self Storage, the self-storage brand of Strategic Storage Trust Inc., has kicked off a "Sing It Smart" video-jingle contest with a $5,000 grand prize. The content will run through Nov. 1. Entrants are asked to create an original 30- to 60-second video jingle and upload it to the companys Facebook page at Facebook.com/SmartStopSS. Videos must be submitted between midnight on Sept. 21 and 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 1.

Entries will be judged based on brand reflection, originality, creativity of presentation, song quality, suitability of video for future advertising and promotion purposes, and entertainment value. The jingle should reflect the SmartStop brandpersonal, innovative, responsibleand incorporate the tagline, "The smarter way to store!"

A panel of celebrity judges includes professional cyclist Adam Myerson, professional mixed martial arts fighter Joe "The Hybrid" Duarte, and Gustav the German Shepherd (a rescued dog and overnight Facebook sensation).

The content finalists will be posted on Facebook for a public vote Nov. 4-17. The winners will be announced on or about Nov. 21.

The creator(s) of the winning jingle will receive $5,000. The two runners-up will receive their choice of an Apple iPad 2 or $500.

"One day in a meeting, we were kicking around ideas about how we could sing the praises of SmartStop Self Storage when suddenly we realized that, hey, there are some really talented and creative people out there, including our customers, who have the smarts and technology to do it, said said H. Michael Schwartz, CEO and chairman. Let's ask them to 'Sing It Smart' and tell us what's special about SmartStop Self Storage!"

Strategic Storage Trust Inc. is a publicly registered, non-traded real estate investment trust that is not publicly traded on the stock exchange. Since the companys launch in 2008, its portfolio has expanded to include 78 facilities in 17 states and Canada, comprising approximately 52,000 self-storage units and 6.4 million rentable square feet of storage space.