Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Contest Rules

Posted by Anonymous on 8/18/2004 at 11:16 AM ET 125 Points
My associates and I are preparing to launch a contest for one of our clients. We operate a full service design firm and are new to providing promotional materials.

The client came to us with a promo idea. They would hold a contest - offering a cash prize to the winner. Anyone purchasing the clients product between 10-04 and 01-05 would automatically be entered into the contest. A purchase would be nessaccary to enter the contest. The winner would be chosen by a voting system placed on the clients web site. Voting will be done by visitors to thier site.

Where can we find contest rules and regulations? Are we free to make up the rules and regulations? Are there laws governing promotional contests? Are you allowed to operate a "purchase neccessary" contest?

Other ideas or advice welcomed.

- Ka
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Carl Crawford on 8/18/2004 at 11:36 AM Member
    hi ka mills,

    what country are you in?.

    as for rules, in new zealand if the prize is over $500 you must have a police officer present at the drawing of the prize.

    if i were you i would go and ask down at your local council about the rules that you need to have as a basic nessesity.

    i would also see a lawyer because you dont want to get in a big legall battle if one you your customer desideds to contest the winning entry.

    purchase neccssary if perfectly fine, eg if you sign up today you go into the draw to win a car.....

    hope this helps

    have a nice day

    Sweetasman01
  • Posted by bobhogg on 8/18/2004 at 11:43 AM Member
    Ka Mills...

    Sweetasman01 is right - it does very much depend on the laws of the country in which you are operating. For example, here in the UK, there is a clear legal distinction between contests (which involve some degree of "skill" on the part of the entrant) and prize draws (in which winners are drawn at random).

    So I'm sure if you let us know which country you're operating in, someone will be able to enlighten you from their own experience!

    Good luck,
    Bob
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 8/19/2004 at 12:27 AM Accepted
    WHy not draft a set of rules based on other competitions in your legal jurisdiction (just use them to leverage knowledge, don't plagiarise) and tell the client to get them checked by THEIR lawyer, after all it's their brand, not yours, they need to protect.

    You can get around the "no purchase necessary" easily. If the entry coupon or whatever is part of the packaging, then entry can be via that coupon, or else the entrant can submit a hand-copied, colored facsimile of the box/package that the device comes in. In other words, sure, easy to enter with the coupon, but without it, you're going to make them work a bit to get their free entry. 99.95% don't bother, which is what you want.

    I don't get the voting thing. Who's voting, the public? How do people know who to vote for - are you planning some kind of high-profile media event like American Idol to generate awareness and help people decide?

    Hope this helps.

    Chris
  • Posted by Carl Crawford on 8/24/2004 at 4:34 AM Member
    hi ka mills

    YOU can give the point to more than one person!!! just click the box beside the people you want to have ponits. so if you post a question for 100 points and you choose 2 answers as a helpful then each person will get 50 points

    hope this helps

    have a nice day

    Sweetasman01
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