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. (This statement must also appear prominently on seriousreaders.com/share and related promotional materials).
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. CONTENT LICENCE AND WARRANTIES - VERY IMPORTANT:
8.1. Condition of Entry: By submitting an entry (which includes the Story, and any optional Photo and/or Video, collectively "Submitted Content"), and in consideration of the opportunity to win a prize, each entrant grants the Promoter (Serious Brands Limited) a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, transferable licence to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, display, and otherwise exploit the Submitted Content, including the entrant’s name, likeness, voice, and biographical information (as provided or reasonably identifiable from the content), in whole or in part, in any and all media formats or channels now known or hereafter developed (including but not limited to the Promoter's websites (including seriousreaders.com), social media channels, email marketing, print advertising, public relations materials, internal communications, and third-party websites) for any purpose, including, without limitation, marketing, advertising, and promotional activities related to the Promoter and its products (including Serious Light), without any further notice, permission, or compensation to the entrant.
8.2. The entrant warrants that they are the sole creator of the Submitted Content, that it is their original work, that they own all rights in the Submitted Content, and that they have the full right, power, and authority to grant the licence described in Clause 8.1.
8.3. The entrant warrants that the Submitted Content does not infringe the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other personal or proprietary rights of any person or entity.
8.4. The entrant warrants that any claims made about Serious Light products within the Submitted Content reflect their genuine personal experience, are truthful, accurate, and capable of being substantiated by them if required by the Promoter or regulatory bodies. The Promoter reserves the right to request substantiation of such claims from the entrant before using the Submitted Content in marketing materials.
8.5. The entrant agrees to waive all moral rights in the Submitted Content to which they may now or at any future time be entitled under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 as amended from time to time and under all similar legislation from time to time in force anywhere in the world.
8.6. Entrants acknowledge that their Submitted Content may be edited, modified, or adapted by the Promoter for operational and editorial reasons (see also Clause 9.2). While the Promoter will endeavor to credit the entrant where feasible (as described in Clause 11.1), failure to do so will not be a breach of these Terms.
8.7. Entrants understand and agree that the Promoter has no obligation to use any Submitted Content.
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.