If you’ve ever wondered what you’d look like as a claymation character – and really, who hasn’t? – Hotels.com is offering Canadians and Americans the chance to see with a new contest.

‘Clay Yourself’ is an extension of the brand’s in-market commercials, which star a claymation spokesperson. The contest offers consumers the opportunity to create their own claymation avatar online at ClayYourself.com for the chance have it star in a Hotels.com commercial and be made into a figurine.

The contest launched Friday in the US and Canada – both markets in which its commercials air – and in the few days since, has garnered 50,000 unique views to the microsite, 5,000 posts on Facebook and 25,000 avatars created. Promotion of the contest was limited to social media until this week, when a PR program was launched alongside and a YouTube video promoting the contest is soon set to debut online as well.

Although the team at Hotels.com wasn’t surprised that people liked it, they were surprised by the rate at which it’s gained momentum online, Vic Walia, senior director, North American brand marketing, Expedia Inc-Hotels.com North America, tells MiC.

‘We designed this to be a viral program. That was the strategy,’ he says. ‘But the speed at which people are visiting the site and creating avatars definitely shocked us.’

Creative on the campaign was handled by Y&R Chicago, with Canadian consulting by Y&R Toronto. Media in Canada is being handled by MediaCom.

The contest runs until Feb. 25, when the winner will be named.