BING “SEE ROSS MATTHEWS” CONTEST
OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
COMMON TERMS USED IN THESE RULES:
These are the official rules that govern how the Microsoft “See Ross Matthews” Contest promotion will operate. This promotion will be simply referred to as the “Contest” throughout the rest of these rules.
In these rules, “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to Microsoft Corporation, the sponsor of the Contest. “You” refers to an eligible Contest entrant.
WHAT ARE THE START AND END DATES?
This Contest starts at 5:00 pm Pacific Time (“PT”) on Wednesday, February 19th, 2014, and ends at 12:00 PM Pacific Time on February 26th 2014 (“Entry Period”). Entries must be received within the Entry Period to be eligible for the drawing.
CAN I ENTER?
You are eligible to enter this Contest if you meet the following requirements at the time of entry:
- You area legal resident of the 50 United States and District of Columbia, and are 18 years of age or older.
- You have NOTwon a Bing Contest or Sweepstakes for the previous six (6) months
- You are NOT an employee of Microsoft Corporation or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary; and
- You are NOT involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Contest; and
- You are NOT an immediate family (parent, sibling, spouse, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Contest.
This Contest is void outside of the geographic area described above and wherever else prohibited by law. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.
HOW DO I ENTER?
There are two ways to enter, via Facebook or via Twitter as follows:
To enter via Twitter you must do all of the following within the Entry Period:
- Sign in to your Twitter account. If you do not have an account, visit www.twitter.comto create one. Twitter accounts are free. All terms and conditions of Twitter.com apply.
- Once logged into your Twitter account, follow the links and instructions to become a follower of @Bing at http://twitter.com/bing.
- On certain days during the Entry Period, an official message will be posted from the @bing handle, prompting you to create a summary of any one of the 2014 Academy Award Best Picture nominated films in 10 words or less and using the #BingOscars and #10WordSummary hashtags. You have until the end of the Entry Period to submit your summary.
- You must remain a follower until at least Monday, March 3rd, 2014 in order to be contacted if you are selected as a potential winner.
To enter via Facebook you must do all of the following within the Entry Period:
- Sign in to your Facebook account. If you do not have an account, visit www.facebook.comto create one. Facebook accounts are free. All terms and conditions of Facebook.com.com apply.
- Once logged into your Facebook account go to www.facebook.com/bingand “Like” the page to become a fan.
- On certain days during the Entry Period, a message will be posted from Bing on the www.facebook.com/bing page prompting you to create a summary of any one of the 2014 Academy Award Best Picture nominated films in 10 words or less within the Comments section of that post. You have until the end of the Entry Period to submit your summary.
You may enter as many times as you wish using either Twitter or Facebook but each Twitter tweet or Facebook post you enter must be substantially unique and different. Closely similar tweets or posts that have minor changes to wording / language but have been submitted as separate entries will be disqualified and only the first entry submitted under that entry type will be eligible.
We are not responsible for entries that we do not receive for any reason, or for entries that we receive but are not decipherable for any reason.
We will automatically disqualify:
- Any incomplete or illegible entry;
- Any entry that contains profanity and/or is deemed defamatory, and
- Any entry that does not comply with the Twitter Terms of Use of Facebook Terms of Use.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Twitter or Facebook. We will contact you only if you are the winner (pending verification of eligibility).
WINNER SELECTION AND PRIZES
Once the entry period has ended, a panel of Microsoft/Bing judges will review all entries and select one Grand Prize winner based on the following judging criteria:
· 50% Creativity
· 50% Quality of Summary
The decisions of the judges are final and binding. If we do not receive a sufficient number of entries meeting the entry requirements, we may, at our discretion, select fewer winners than described above. In the event of a tie between any eligible entries, an additional judge will break the tie based on the judging criteria described above.
On Friday, February 28th, we will announce the potential (pending confirmation of eligibility) Grand Prize winner from among all eligible entries received via Twitter and Facebook.
(1) Grand Prize Package:A Nokia Lumia 1020 Windows Phone (Approximate Retail Value (ARV) $199) and a trip for winner and one (1) guest to Los Angeles, CA to attend the taping of Ross Matthews’ show “Hello Ross” on March 6, 2014. Trip includes:
· Round trip coach-class airfare for two from a major airport near winner’s residence to Los Angeles, CA
· 2 days/2 nights standard hotel accommodations (one room, double occupancy)
· Two tickets to the taping of “Hello Ross”, and
· A meet and greet with Ross Matthews.
Actual retail value may vary depending on winner’s point of departure and airfare fluctuations. Any difference between stated approximate retail value and actual value will not be awarded. All other travel-related expenses, including but not limited to ground transportation, luggage fees, meals, gratuities and incidental hotel and personal expenses are the sole responsibility of the winner. Trip must be taken March 5-6, 2014. If winner resides within 250 miles of Los Angeles, CA, Sponsor reserves the right to provide alternative ground transportation. Selection of airport, airline, flight itinerary and hotel are solely within Sponsor’s discretion. Once trip is booked, any changes made at winner’s request are at winner’s expense. Grand Prize winner must possess required travel documents (e.g. valid passport) prior to departure. Guest must be 18 years of age or older or child / dependent of the winner. Winner and guest must travel on same itinerary.
Approximate retail value of Grand Prize Package: $ 2,000.
If you are a potential winner, we will notify you by Direct Message on Twitter and Facebook to the account provided at time of entry within twenty-four (24) hours following the random drawing. If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason within twenty-four (24) hours of the date and time notified, we may award the prize to an alternate, randomly selected winner, time allowing. If necessary, only three (3) alternate drawings will be held after which the applicable prize will remain un-awarded. Winner will be required to provide an active email address in order to be contacted by Microsoft for eligibility verification and prize award fulfillment. We will only award one (1) prize per person.
If there is a dispute as to who is the potential winner, we will consider the potential winner to be the authorized account holder of the Twitter account and Facebook account used to enter the Contest. If you are a potential winner, we may require you to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability/Publicity Release and a W-9 tax form within two (2) days of notification. Travel guest (parent / legal guardian if a minor) will be required to complete and return a companion liability / publicity release. If you do not complete the required forms as instructed and/or return the required forms within the time period listed on the winner notification message, we may disqualify you and select an alternate, randomly selected winner.
If you are confirmed as a winner of this Contest:
- You may not exchange your prize for cash or any other merchandise or services. However, if for any reason an advertised prize is unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value; and
- You may not designate someone else as the winner. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we will award it to an alternate potential winner; and
- If you accept a prize, you will be solely responsible for all applicable taxes related to accepting the prize; and
- Unless otherwise noted, all prizes are subject to their manufacturer’s warranty and / or terms and conditions.
WHAT ARE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING?
Your odds of winning this Contest depend on the number of eligible entries we receive.
WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS ARE YOU AGREEING TO BY ENTERING THIS CONTEST?
By entering this Contest you agree:
- To abide by these Official Rules; and
- To release and hold harmless Microsoft, Fun., and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this Contest or any prize won; and
- That Microsoft’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Contest; and
- That by accepting a prize, Microsoft may use of your proper name and state of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Contest, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.
WHAT LAWS GOVERN THE WAY THIS CONTEST IS EXECUTED AND ADMINISTRATED?
This Contest will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Contest.
WHAT IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS AND THE CONTEST CAN’T RUN AS PLANNED?
If cheating, a virus, bug, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and / or integrity of this Contest, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this Contest. This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Contest, we reserve the right to randomly select a winner from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Contest.
If you attempt to compromise the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Contest by hacking or by cheating or committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law. Further, we may ban you from participating in any of our future Contest, so please play fairly.
HOW CAN YOU FIND OUT WHO WON?
For a list of winners, send an email by Monday, May 5th, 2014, with the subject line ”See Ross Matthews” Bing Contest Winners List to nimont@microsoft.com.
WHO IS SPONSORING THIS CONTEST?
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052