Serious Readers "Share Your Story" Competition - Official Terms and Conditions
IMPORTANT PRELIMINARY NOTE:
Entry to this competition requires ownership of a genuine Serious Light product.
Proof of ownership may be requested.
1. PROMOTER:
This Competition is promoted by Serious Brands Limited, a company registered in England & Wales under company number 02485587, with its registered office at 15 Faraday Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8RY, Great Britain ("Promoter").
2. COMPETITION PERIOD:
The Competition opens for entries on 1st May 2025 at 00:01 UK time and closes on 31st May 2025 at 23:59 UK time ("Competition Period").
Entries received outside the Competition Period will not be considered.
3. ELIGIBILITY:
3.1. This Competition is open to individuals who are residents of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) aged 18 years or over at the time of entry.
3.2. Entry requires ownership of a genuine Serious Light product supplied by Serious Readers (Serious Brands Limited). Proof of ownership may be requested. This is a condition of eligibility.
3.3. Employees (and their immediate families) of the Promoter, its associated companies, agents, members of the judging panel, or anyone professionally connected with the Competition are not eligible to enter.
3.4. Internet access and a valid email address are required to enter.
3.5. The Promoter reserves the right to verify the eligibility of entrants. The Promoter may require such information as it considers reasonably necessary for this purpose and prizes may be withheld until the Promoter is satisfied with the verification.
4. HOW TO ENTER:
4.1. To enter the Competition, eligible individuals must visit seriousreaders.com/share during the Competition Period and fully complete the online entry form, which requires:
a) Providing their full name and valid email address.
b) Submitting a written story of at least 200 words describing how their Serious Light has changed their life ("Story"). The Story must demonstrate skill based on the judging criteria outlined in Clause 6.
c) Optionally, uploading a clear photograph showing the entrant using or with their Serious Light ("Photo"). Photos may be considered by judges as supplementary context but judging is primarily based on the Story.
d) Optionally, uploading a video of the entrant talking about or demonstrating their Serious Light ("Video"). Videos may be considered by judges as supplementary context but judging is primarily based on the Story.
e) Critically: Ticking the mandatory checkbox confirming they have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, available at seriousreaders.com/pages/share-story-terms, including the Content Licence at Clause 7.
f) Critically: Ticking the mandatory checkbox confirming they consent to the processing of their personal data as described in Clause 11 and the Promoter's Privacy Policy available at https://www.seriousreaders.com/pages/privacy-policy. (Note: Consent required here is limited to data processing necessary for competition administration and fulfilling T&Cs, not broader marketing unless opted-in separately).
4.2. Entry Submission Focus: Entrants should focus on crafting a compelling Story based on the judging criteria. While Photos and Videos are welcomed and may provide context, they do not grant additional entries or weighting in the judging process. Skill is assessed based on the quality and content of the written Story.
4.3. Only one submission per person is permitted, regardless of email addresses or identities used. Multiple entries from the same individual using different accounts or identities will result in immediate disqualification of all associated entries. Entries generated by script, macro, or other automated means are void.
4.4. Submissions must be in English, original, created solely by the entrant, and must not infringe the intellectual property or other rights of any third party.
4.5. Submissions must not contain any material which is defamatory, obscene, illegal, offensive, violates the rights of any third party, or is otherwise unsuitable for publication. The Promoter reserves the right to disqualify any entry it deems inappropriate in its sole discretion.
5. THE PRIZES:
5.1. There are three (3) prizes available to be won, awarded based on judging criteria:
* 1st Prize: One (1) Serious Readers High Definition Floor Light (Recommended Retail Price (RRP) £449.99 as at the start of the Competition Period). Awarded to the entry judged to be the best overall.
* 2nd Prize: One (1) Serious Readers SANITISE Light (RRP £249.99 as at the start of the Competition Period). Awarded to the entry judged to be the second best.
* 3rd Prize: One (1) Serious Readers ROAM Light (RRP £99.99 as at the start of the Competition Period). Awarded to the entry judged to be the third best.
5.2. The prizes are non-transferable, non-exchangeable, and no cash alternative is available. Actual retail price at the time of awarding may vary from the RRP stated.
5.3. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute any prize with an alternative prize of equal or greater value if circumstances beyond the Promoter's control make it necessary to do so.
6. WINNER SELECTION (JUDGING):
6.1. This is a skill-based competition. Entries will be judged based on the merit of the submitted Story.
6.2. All valid entries received during the Competition Period will be reviewed by a judging panel consisting of [Specify number, e.g., two] senior employees of the Promoter and at least one judge independent of the Promoter. The independent judge's details can be made available upon request after the Competition Period.
6.3. The judging panel will evaluate each Story based on the following criteria:
* Impact & Authenticity (40%): How genuinely and powerfully the story conveys the positive impact of the Serious Light on the entrant's life.
* Clarity & Storytelling (30%): The quality of writing, clarity of expression, and overall narrative engagement of the Story.
* Relevance & Specificity (30%): How well the Story relates specifically to the use and benefits of a Serious Light product.
6.4. Judging will take place within 5 working days of the closing date (by 6th June 2025). The entries scoring highest against the criteria will be awarded the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes respectively. In the event of a tie for any prize position, the entry scoring highest on "Impact & Authenticity" will be deemed the winner for that position.
6.5. The decision of the judging panel is final and binding, and no correspondence regarding the judging process or outcome will be entered into, except as required by law or regulation.
7. WINNER NOTIFICATION:
7.1. The winners will be notified by email to the address provided on entry by 6th June 2025.
7.2. Winners must claim their prize by responding to the notification email, providing any requested details (e.g., delivery address), by 23:59 UK time on 20th June 2025. If a winner does not claim their prize by this deadline, or if a winner is found to be ineligible or in breach of these Terms and Conditions, the Promoter reserves the right to disqualify that winner, forfeit the prize, and award it to the next highest-scoring entry based on the judging results. The same claim process and deadline will apply to any alternative winner selected.
8. SHARING YOUR STORY & MEDIA WITH US - IMPORTANT DETAILS
8.1. Letting Us Share Your Entry: As a condition of entering and for the chance to win a prize, when you submit your Story, and any optional Photo or Video (together, your "Submitted Content"), you give Serious Brands Limited (the "Promoter") ongoing permission to use it. This means we can: * Share, copy, and show your Submitted Content (in full or in part). * Adapt or modify it (for example, to fit different formats, for clarity, or to correct typos). * Use it for our marketing, advertising, and promotions for Serious Readers and Serious Light products. This could be on our websites (like seriousreaders.com), social media, in emails, brochures, press releases, or other materials, both now and in the future. * This permission is worldwide, doesn't expire (it's "perpetual"), doesn't require us to pay you a fee for these uses (it's "royalty-free"), and allows us to work with trusted partners on these activities (it's "transferable" for these purposes). * We may also use your name (and your likeness/voice if clear from your photos/videos) when we feature your Submitted Content. * Essentially, you're allowing us to celebrate and share your positive experiences widely, without needing to ask for separate permission or offer payment for each specific use outlined here.
8.2. Your Promises About Your Content: You confirm that: a) You are the one who created all the Submitted Content, and it’s your original work. b) You fully own all rights to your Submitted Content. c) You have the complete right and ability to give us the permissions described in Clause 8.1.
8.3. Respecting Others' Rights: You confirm that your Submitted Content doesn't violate anyone else's rights, such as their copyright, trademarks, privacy, or any other personal or property rights. It should not contain anything that could be seen as an infringement.
8.4. Truthfulness of Your Story: You confirm that any statements you make about Serious Light products in your Submitted Content are based on your genuine personal experience, are true and accurate, and that you could provide support for these statements if we or any regulatory body asked. We might ask for this before using your story in our marketing.
8.5. Moral Rights: You agree to waive your "moral rights" in the Submitted Content. These are rights authors have (like the right to be identified as the author or to object to changes that harm your reputation). Waiving them helps us use your content more flexibly for the purposes described (as per UK law, specifically the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, and similar laws elsewhere).
8.6. Editing and Credit: You understand that we might need to edit or adapt your Submitted Content for various practical reasons (like fitting it into a specific space, ensuring it meets advertising standards, or for general editorial consistency – see also Clause 9.2). While we'll try to give you credit where it's practical (as mentioned in Clause 11.1), not doing so in every instance won't be a breach of these terms.
8.7. No Obligation to Use: You understand that even though you're giving us permission, we are not obligated to use any Submitted Content you provide.
9. DISQUALIFICATION AND MODERATION:
9.1. The Promoter reserves the right to disqualify any entrant or entry if it has reasonable grounds to believe the entrant has breached any of these Terms and Conditions, has submitted content that violates Clause 4.5, or if they have gained unfair advantage in participating.
9.2. The Promoter reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to edit, moderate, or remove parts of any Submitted Content prior to or after publication to comply with applicable laws, advertising standards (including the CAP Code), or editorial requirements, without prior notification to the entrant. Entrants acknowledge and accept that such moderation may involve significant edits, potentially altering the original meaning or presentation of their submission, for compliance or suitability purposes.
10. LIABILITY:
10.1. Subject to Clause 10.2, the Promoter excludes all liability for any loss, damage, injury, or disappointment suffered by any entrant resulting from entering this Competition, accepting or using a prize, or any technical failures, network disruptions, or entry submission issues.
10.2. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall exclude the Promoter's liability for death or personal injury resulting from its negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by law. Furthermore, nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits an entrant's statutory rights under applicable law or regulation, including rights under consumer protection law.
11. PUBLICITY AND WINNERS LIST:
11.1. Winners agree to participate in reasonable publicity relating to the Competition if requested by the Promoter. This may include the publication of their name and county of residence (formatted, for example, as Title Surname | County), and the use of their Submitted Content (winning Story/Photo/Video) in promotional materials, in accordance with the licence granted in Clause 8.
11.2. The surname and county of the prize winners will be made available. To obtain this information, please send an email request to hotline@seriousreaders.com with the subject line "Share Your Story Competition Winners" within three months of the closing date.
11.3. If a winner objects to their surname and county being made available as described in Clause 11.2, they must notify the Promoter when claiming their prize. In such cases, the Promoter must still provide the information to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) on request, to demonstrate that a valid award took place.
12. DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY:
12.1. By entering the Competition, entrants explicitly consent to the Promoter (Serious Brands Limited) collecting, storing, and processing their personal data (including name, email address, and any personal data within the Submitted Content, including potentially images and voice recordings) for the purposes of administering the Competition (including judging), fulfilling the prize, verifying eligibility, marketing and promotional activities as described in Clause 8, winner publication as described in Clause 11, and as otherwise detailed in the Promoter's Privacy Policy, available at https://www.seriousreaders.com/pages/privacy-policy.
12.2. Entrants confirm they have read and understood the Promoter's Privacy Policy by ticking the relevant consent box during entry. Consent for data processing necessary for competition administration is a condition of entry. Consent for receiving separate marketing communications (if offered) must be given via a separate, optional opt-in mechanism and is not required for entry.
12.3. Entrants have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing of, or object to the processing of their personal data, and the right to data portability, as detailed in the Privacy Policy. Entrants can exercise these rights by contacting the Data Controller by email at datacontroller@seriousbrands.co.uk or by post at: Data Controller, Serious Readers, 15 Faraday Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8RY, Great Britain. Withdrawing consent for data processing necessary for Competition administration prior to the completion of judging will result in disqualification. Withdrawing consent for the use of Submitted Content under the licence in Clause 8 will not affect the legality of any use prior to withdrawal but will result in the Promoter ceasing further use of such content in future marketing activities wherever reasonably feasible.
13. GENERAL:
13.1. The Promoter reserves the right to suspend, cancel, or amend the Competition and/or review and revise these Terms and Conditions at any time without giving prior notice only if circumstances outside of its reasonable control make it unavoidable to do so. Any changes will be published at seriousreaders.com/pages/share-story-terms, and reasonable steps will be taken to minimise disadvantage to entrants.
13.2. If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is held invalid by any law, rule, order or regulation of any government, or by the final determination of any court of a competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect the enforceability of any other provision not held to be invalid.
13.3. This Competition and these Terms and Conditions are governed by English law, and any disputes arising in connection with them shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, unless you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, in which case your local courts will have jurisdiction.