Electricals retailer Comet has launched a contest to find the most embarrassingly out-of-date electrical items still in use in the UK.

Comet is inviting people to submit tongue-in-cheek videos via YouTube showing their most “disgraceful” items and explain why they are ashamed of them.

The initiative is the latest example of retailers’ use of social networking media to attract customers and increase brand recognition. The retailer’s Facebook group and fan site will also be used to stir up publicity.

The online competition is free to enter at Replacethisdisgrace.com and is searching for items within three categories; home entertainment, computing and kitchen.

The winner of each category, voted for by the public, will receive £1,500 worth of new electrical items from Comet when the competition closes at the end of the July.

Comet’s parent Kesaissued pre-close update on Thursday.