SMX BIGGEST SEARCH GEEK CONTEST
OFFICIAL RULES/TERMS AND CONDITIONS - United Kingdom
For U.S. participants, read the Official Rules for U.S.Sponsored by Marin Software, Inc. (the "Sponsor"). NO ENTRY FEE. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. The SMX Biggest Search Geek Contest (the “Contest”) begins on December 14, 2011 and ends on February 10, 2012 Pacific Time (the "Contest Period").
1. Eligibility: The Contest is open to legal residents of the U.S. (excluding Puerto Rico and Arizona) and the United Kingdom aged eighteen (18) or older and who have an active e-mail account and Internet access, as of the beginning of the Contest Period. Employees of the Sponsor or Third Door Media, Inc./SMX and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, fulfillment or other coordinating agencies, individuals providing services to the Sponsor through an outsourcer or temporary employment agency during the Contest period, and their respective immediate family members and persons living in their same household, are not eligible to enter in the Contest. Participation in the Contest constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these terms and conditions (the "Official Rules").
2. To Enter: To enter online, select the Contest link from the Contest main page on http://biggestsearchgeek.com between December 14, 2011, at 12:01am Pacific Time (December 14, 2011, at 8.01am GMT), and February 10, 2012, at 11:59pm Pacific Time (February 11, 2012, at 7.59am GMT). Answer all of the questions presented to you on the Contest entry form, which consists of a series of questions that you must answer and click on the button to submit the Contest entry form. No mechanically reproduced mail-in entries are allowed and any use of robotic, automatic, programmed or the like entry methods will void all such entries by such methods.
The Contest may only be entered once per individual. Contestants with multiple entries will be disqualified. The Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any contestants that post or share contest questions or answers.
3. Test Creation: Wister Walcott, co-founder and vice president of products at Marin Software is the main author of the test and Danny Sullivan, leading "search engine guru", contributed some questions on organic search and provided a review of questions overall. Mr. Walcott directs the development of Marin Software, an online advertising platform for managing search, display and social marketing. He has extensive experience in marketing automation and software-as-a-service technologies at Siebel Systems (now Oracle), and large-scale data warehousing at Composite Software and Oracle Corp. Additionally, Walcott has served as VP of Marketing at two companies (Pilot Networks, Composite Software), where he was responsible for branding, outbound telemarketing, direct mail, and online marketing. He holds multiple US patents and degrees in computer science and business from Harvard University. Mr. Sullivan has been helping webmasters, marketers and everyday web users understand how search engines work for over a decade. His expertise about search engines is often sought by the media, and he has been quoted in places like The Wall St. Journal, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, Forbes, The New Yorker and Newsweek and ABC's Nightline. Mr. Sullivan began covering search engines in late 1995, when he undertook a study of how they indexed web pages. The results were published online as "A Webmaster's Guide To Search Engines", a pioneering effort to answer the many questions site designers and Internet publicists had about search engines. The positive reaction from both marketers and general search engine users caused Mr. Sullivan to expand the guide into Search Engine Watch, where he served as editor-in-chief through November 2006. Now he heads up Search Engine Land as editor-in-chief, taking it into the next generation of search coverage. Danny also serves as Third Door Media's chief content officer.
4. Prize Selection: The entries will be judged and scored based on the number of questions correctly answered in the shortest time. Each question has a possible total of 5 points and there are a maximum of 100 points available overall. Partially correct multi-part questions will receive partial credit, up to 5 points total per question. The score will be represented as a percentage of total questions answered correctly. If more than one entrant scores the same overall total the Grand Prize Winner (defined below) will be the entrant who completed the questions in the least amount of time. The Grand Prize Winner and other Runners Up (as set forth below) will be selected at the offices of the Sponsor, located at 123 Mission Street, 25th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 within seven (7) days of the end of the Contest period.
Submission of a Contest entry constitutes entrant's certification that the entry is his/her own original work and does not infringe the intellectual property or proprietary rights of any third party, including, without limitation, any third party patents, copyrights or trademarks. Entrant hereby agrees not to instigate, support, maintain or authorize any action, claim or lawsuit against the Sponsor, or any other person, on the grounds that any use of the entry as provided herein, infringes any of the entrant's rights as creator of the entry, including, without limitation, trademark rights, copyrights and moral rights or "droit moral." Entrant hereby assigns and transfers, and agrees to assign and transfer, to the Sponsor all right, title, and interest to the entrant's entry submissions, including the answers to the contest questions posed, and to execute any necessary documents to make such assignment and transfer to the Sponsor. The Sponsor shall have all rights to copy, edit, publicly display, publicly perform, broadcast, publish and use, in whole or in part, any entry materials, and any other intellectual property protected or protectable materials submitted by the entrant, in any manner without further compensation during and after the Contest, except where prohibited by law. Nothing herein shall constitute an employment, joint venture, or partnership relationship between the entrant and the Sponsor.
The Grand Prize Winner and other Runners Up will be notified by e-mail and / or telephone as provided by the entrant on the Contest entry form.
5. Prizes and Odds: The prizes to be awarded from the Contest are as follows:
The grand prize will be awarded to the entrant with the highest number of correct answers (the “Grand Prize Winner”). In addition to the Grand Prize Winner, the fifty (50) Contest entrants who answer the most correct questions in the shortest time after the Grand Prize Winner (the “Runners Up”) will also receive a award from the Sponsor as described below.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive, subject to the terms of these Official Rules, (i) an Apple iPad; (ii) a round trip flight journey, with hotel accommodation included, for the Grand Prize Winner and a travel companion, to Search Marketing Expo - SMX West 2012, which will be held in San Jose, California on February 28 - March 1, 2012 at the San Jose Convention Center and (iii) two (2) All Access Passes to Search Marketing Expo - SMX West 2012. If the Grand Prize Winner has already purchased his or her All Access Pass a refund of the purchase price will be given. In addition, the Grand Prize Winner will receive an award at SMX West 2012 presented on stage by Danny Sullivan and Matt Lawson, VP of Marketing at Marin Software, during SMX West 2012 by the Sponsor or a designee of the Sponsor who is a nationally recognized expert in search engines and online search.
The Grand Prize Winner, along with the top ten (10) Runners Up, will receive one (1) year subscriptions to Search Engine Land, as described here.
All other costs and expenses not specifically included herein, including but not limited to transportation to gateway; ground transportation; transfers; food; beverages; mini-bar; insurance; gratuities, souvenirs, etc. are the sole responsibility of the Grand Prize Winner. The Grand Prize Winner and travel companion must travel together and possess necessary travel documents, e.g. valid Federal state government or government issued ID, at least thirty (30) days prior to travel. The trip is intended solely for attendance at Search Marketing Expo - SMX West 2012 which will be held on the dates referenced above and for no other purpose. All reservations must be made a minimum of two (2) days prior to departure, and are subject to black-out periods and availability. Travel must originate from and end at the same airport or train station. Once travel commences, no stopovers are permitted; if stopover occurs, full fare will be charged from stopover point for the remaining segments, including return, of the trip. No changes will be made to travel details once any portion of travel arrangements has been made. Ticket re-issues and/or time extensions not allowed. Only valid on flights operated on airlines approved by the Sponsor. Flight or train travel details are subject to space availability and carrier's regulations and conditions apply. Certain other restrictions may also apply. The trip may not be combined with any other offer and travel may not qualify for frequent flyer miles. The Grand Prize Winner and travel companion will be required to provide valid Federal state government or government issued picture ID at time of travel; any identification requirements associated with air travel are the Grand Prize Winner's responsibility. The Sponsor will make travel and hotel arrangements for the Grand Prize Winner, in reasonable consultation with the Grand Prize Winner. Prizes are not redeemable for cash; nor are prizes transferable, refundable or substitutable except by the Sponsor with one of equal or greater value. Travel companion must be at least 18 years old as of the date of departure unless he/she is a minor child of the Grand Prize Winner. All federal, state, governmental, local taxes and airport and customs fees if applicable are the Grand Prize Winner's sole responsibility.
Each of the fifty (50) Runners Up will receive a "Search Geek" recognition award from the Sponsor, comprising (i) an email announcement to the fifty (50) Runners Up, (ii) listing of the name of each of the Runners Up on the Sponsor's website, (iii) a digital button to put on the blog/website of each of the Runners Up and (iv) a physical token to be picked up at the Sponsor's booth at SMX West 2012, however, these will not be distributed if winners are unable to collect them at SMX West 2012.
The odds of winning a prize or receiving an award depend on the total number of eligible entries received. No cash or other substitution of prizes or awards is permitted, except at the sole option of the Sponsor for a prize or award of equal or greater value. The Sponsor will not replace any lost or stolen prizes or awards. The Grand Prize Winner is solely responsible for any and all federal, state, provincial and local taxes, if any, that apply to prizes or awards.
Total value of all prizes to be awarded: approximately $8,000 (U.S.).
6. Notification of Grand Prize Winners and Runners Up: Grand Prize Winners and Runners Up will be notified by e-mail and / or telephone as provided by entrant on the Contest entry form within five (5) business days of the selection, and may be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility and publicity/liability release within seven (7) days of notification. If a selected Grand Prize Winner or Runner Up cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim a prize and/or where applicable an affidavit of eligibility and publicity/liability release is not timely received, is incomplete or modified, the prize may be forfeited and an alternate Grand Prize Winner or Runner Up will be selected from remaining valid, eligible entries submitted within the Contest period. In the event of a dispute regarding who submitted an entry, the entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the e-mail account specified in the entry. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. No automatically generated entries will be accepted.
7. General Rules: By entering the Contest, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules. The Contest is offered by the Sponsor, 123 Mission Street, 25th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105, which is not responsible for (i) late, lost, delayed, damaged, postage-due, incomplete, illegible, misdirected or undeliverable entries, responses, or other correspondence, whether by e-mail or postal mail or otherwise; (ii) theft, destruction, unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials; or (iii) phone, electrical, network, computer, hardware, software program or transmission malfunctions, failures or difficulties.
The Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any entries which do not comply with these Official Rules, or to remove any entry if the Sponsor receives notification about any potential infringements or breaches of law. You shall indemnify and keep indemnified the Sponsor to the fullest extent possible against any claims, loss or damage howsoever arising which the Sponsor may suffer as a result of a breach of your obligations under these Official Rules.
You further agree to release, indemnify, defend and hold the Sponsor and Third Door Media, Inc./SMX and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees, sponsors and agents, including advertising and promotion agencies, and assigns, and any other organizations related to the Contest, harmless, from any and all claims, injuries, damages, expenses or losses to person or property and/or liabilities of any nature that in any way arise from your participation in this Contest or acceptance or use of a prize or parts thereof, including without limitation (i) any condition caused by events beyond the Sponsor's control that may cause the Contest to be disrupted or corrupted; (ii) any injuries, losses, or damages (compensatory, direct, incidental, consequential or otherwise) of any kind arising in connection with or as a result of the prize, or acceptance, possession, or use of the prize, or from participation in the Contest; and (iii) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Contest.
IN NO EVENT WILL THE SPONSOR OR THIRD DOOR MEDIA/SMX BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOSS OF USE, DATA, BUSINESS OR PROFITS) ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST, WHETHER SUCH LIABILITY ARISES FROM ANY CLAIM BASED UPON CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE SPONSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSS OR DAMAGE. Some jurisdictions do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. Nothing in these Official Rules shall exclude or limit the Sponsor’s liability for death or personal injury as a result of its own negligence or in relation to fraudulent misrepresentation or any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited by law.
8. Additional Conditions: Except where prohibited, by participating in the Contest, entrant consents to the use of his/her name, photo and/or likeness, biographical information, entry and statements attributed to entrant (if true) for advertising and promotional purposes, including without limitation, inclusion in the Sponsor's newsletters, the Contest website at biggestsearchgeek.com and the Sponsor's homepages at www.marinsoftware.com and searchmarketingexpo.com, without additional compensation. All entries, as applicable, become property of the Sponsor and none will be acknowledged or returned. Allow six (6) to eight (8) weeks for delivery of prizes.
The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify or suspend the Contest in whole or in part, in the event of fraud, technical or other difficulties or if the integrity of the Contest is compromised, without liability to the entrant. The Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entrant that does not comply with these Official Rules, as determined by the Sponsor, in its sole discretion. The Contest is subject to these Official Rules and all applicable federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations apply. As stated above, the Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. By participating in this Contest, you acknowledge that you have read these Official Rules and agree to abide by them and by the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to the Contest. These Official Rules are governed by English law without reference to rules governing choice of laws.
9. Personal Information: The Sponsor and Third Door Media Inc./SMX may collect personal data about entrants online, in accordance with its privacy policy and as may be more specifically set forth in these Official Rules. Please review these Official Rules and the Sponsor's privacy policy at www.marinsoftware.com/marin-software-privacy-policy. By participating in the Contest, entrants hereby agree to the Sponsor's collection and use of their personal information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted these Official Rules and the Sponsor's privacy policy.
10. Winner's List, Official Rules: For a list of the Grand Prize Winner or Runners Up or a copy of these Official Rules, send your request and a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Biggest Search Geek Contest, Marin Software, 123 Mission Street, 25th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 or (for Winner's list only) send an email message to ppc@marinsoftware.com with "Winner's list" as the email subject and contest name specified in the body of the e-mail.
11. If any provision contained in these Official Rules shall be prohibited by law or adjudged by a court to be unlawful, void or unenforceable such provision shall, to the extent required, be severed from these Official Rules and rendered ineffective as far as possible without modifying the remaining provisions of these Official Rules, and shall not in any way affect the validity or enforcement of the remaining terms.
12. The Sponsor's Address: Marin Software, 123 Mission Street, 25th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105.
Copyright © 2011-2012 Marin Software
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