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Contest Rules and Regulations

THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO THE PROMOTION. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THE SWEEPSTAKES COMPONENT. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. A SUBMISSION IS REQUIRED TO COMPETE IN THE CONTEST COMPONENT.

1. ELIGIBILITY AND SPONSOR: The “Make the World More Fun” Giveaway ("Giveaway") consists of two separate promotions: the “Find the Flamingo” Instant-Win Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) and the “Make the World More Fun Contest (“Contest):

2. SWEEPSTAKES: The “Find the Flamingo” Instant-Win Sweepstakes begins at 2:30 p.m. (Eastern Time ["ET"]) on May 22, 2008 and ends at 5:00 p.m. (ET) on August 4, 2008 (the "Sweepstakes Period"). The Sweepstakes consists of a series of consecutive daily instant-win sweepstakes (“Daily Sweepstakes”). The first Daily Sweepstakes begins at 9:00 a.m. (ET) on May 22, 2008 and ends at 5:00 p.m. (ET) on May 23, 2008; the next Daily Sweepstakes begins at 9:00 a.m. (ET) on May 23, 2008 and ends at 5:00 p.m. (ET) on May 24, 2008 and so on until the last Daily Sweepstakes that begins at 9:00 a.m. (ET) on August 3, 2008 and ends at 5:00 p.m. (ET) on August 4, 2008.

3. CONTEST: The “Make the World More Fun” Contest that begins at 9:00 a.m. (ET) on May 22, 2008 and ends at 5:00 p.m. (ET) on July 10, 2008 (the “Contest Period”).

Giveaway is open to lawful permanent U.S. residents of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia who are of the age of majority in their home state as of the start date of the Giveaway (“Entrants” and/or “Contestants”). The Giveaway is void in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. Military installations in foreign countries, all other U.S. territories and possessions, and wherever else restricted or prohibited by law. Giveaway is sponsored by Oriental Trading Company, Inc., 5455 South 90th Street, Omaha, NE 68127 (“Sponsor”). Giveaway is administered by e-Centives, Inc. (“Administrator”) (collectively “Giveaway Entities”) Employees of Giveaway Entities, their parents and subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies and all other entities participating in the design, promotion, marketing, advertising, administration or fulfillment of this Giveaway and their immediate families are ineligible to participate in this Giveaway.

4. HOW TO ENTER THE SWEEPSTAKES. Online entries only. ONLY ONE ENTRY PER NATURAL PERSON PER DAY WILL BE ACCEPTED. During the Sweepstakes Period, log on to Sponsor’s Giveaway page located at www.maketheworldmorefun.com and register as a user. You must complete the registration process in order to be eligible to win. To enter a Daily Sweepstakes, log in to your account at www.maketheworldmorefun.com and follow the link to the Find-The-Flamingo game (the “Game”). Play the Game by selecting one of the three houses where you think the flamingo is hiding. You may play the Game, which constitutes one entry, once each day. Persons discovered entering under several user names or otherwise attempting to receive more than one entry per day will be disqualified from the Sweepstakes. All entries to a Daily Sweepstakes must be received by that Daily Sweepstakes’ deadline according to the computer time on Administrator’s server. All entries submitted shall become the sole property of Giveaway Entities and will be neither acknowledged nor returned. Playing the Game and winning or losing the Game will not increase your chances of winning the Sweepstakes.

5. HOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST (“Contest”). Online Entries Only. ONLY ONE ENTRY PER NATURAL PERSON PER DAILY SWEEPSTAKES WILL BE ACCEPTED DURING THE CONTEST PERIOD. During the Contest Period, log on to Sponsor’s Giveaway page located at www.maketheworldmorefun.com and register as a user. You must complete the registration process in order to be eligible to win. To enter the Contest, first, think of one (1) organization, individual or group who inspires you and that deserves a special moment of fun (“Your Special Recipient”). Next, look through the product line at Sponsor’s web site located at www.orientaltrading.com to get some ideas on how to put together a package of fun for this organization or person. Log in to your account at www.maketheworldmorefun.com and play the Game. At the end of the game, you will be prompted to enter the Contest. In the space provided, tell us why Your Special Recipient deserves a special moment of fun and how you would create that special moment using products available on Sponsor’s website (http://www.orientaltrading.com). If you need more help, check out our sample ideas. You will have 1500 characters (about 250 words) to get your idea across. Entries larger than 1000 characters will be shortened to 1000 characters (don’t worry, you will have a chance to correct your entry if it’s too large). Your submission (“Submission”) must comply with the Submission Guidelines outlined below. Submissions must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (ET) on July 10, 2008 according to the computer time on Administrator’s server. Giveaway Entities will not acknowledge receipt of Submissions. Incomplete, garbled, or otherwise corrupted entries are void and will not be accepted. Not responsible for lost, late, misdirected or corrupted entries. All entries become the property of the Giveaway Entities and will not be returned or acknowledged. Persons discovered entering under several names will be disqualified. No hand delivered or e-mailed deliveries will be accepted. Giveaway Entities reserve the right to disqualify false submissions or submissions suspected of being false. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a Selected Contestant, the Selected Contestant will be deemed to be the person in whose name the e-mail account governing the e-mail address was opened.

6. CONTEST SUBMISSION GUIDELINES. Your Submission must be truthful, non-fictional, and an original work of authorship created by you, the person who submits the entry. It must be no longer than 1000 characters (250 words). Submissions may not contain any illegal, offensive or obscene subject matter, in Giveaway Entities’ sole discretion. Contestants may not copy or otherwise plagiarize the Submission from any source, nor may the Submissions include third party copyrighted material. Contestant must hold all rights to the entire Submission. Giveaway Entities are not responsible for legal protection or clearance of Submissions in any form. Contestant agrees to indemnify Giveaway Entities against any and all claims from any third party for any use by Giveaway Entities of Submission. If, in the sole discretion of Giveaway Entities, your Submission constitutes copyright infringement or otherwise violates the rights of any third party, the Submission will be disqualified. Entries that are incomplete or corrupted are void and will not be accepted. YOUR ENTRY MUST BE TRUTHFUL AND YOUR RECIPIENT MUST BE A REAL PERSON AND/OR ORGANIZATION. Once submitted, your Submission becomes the property of Giveaway Entities and may be used for promotional and public relations purposes on Sponsor’s website, printed materials or other media.

7. SWEEPSTAKES SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: Each day during the Sweepstakes Period, ten (10) selected entrants (“Selected Entrants”) will be selected randomly to win one of the ten (10) Daily Prizes. Selected Entrants are chosen using an algorithm, adjusted for site traffic that produces a Flamingo at a double-blind predetermined time. If you are the entrant who plays the Game at or just after the selected time, you are the winner. Selected Entrants will be notified immediately if they have won a Daily Prize. Entrants may enter once each day and there is no limit to the number of times an entrant may win over the course of the Sweepstakes Period. If you are a winner, you will immediately be provided an electronic merchandise certificate code worth $75.00 for use on Sponsor’s website. This code is your only notification, so you must keep the code in a safe place. Under no circumstances, will codes be replaced, including as a result of your computer failure or other electronic failure. Sponsor reserves the right to require Selected Entrants to show verifiable proof of identity and entitlement to win, including proof of age and/or proof of address (including showing utility bill). In addition, Selected Entrants may have to sign an affidavit of eligibility and publicity release in order to claim their prize. In the event that Sponsors believes, in its sole discretion, that any entrant is gaming the promotion, such that it affects the fair play of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify entrant. In the event of a dispute about the identity of any Daily Sweepstakes Entrant, each entry will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet Service Provider, online access 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 email address. In this regard, the Selected Entrants may be required to provide proof that s/he is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the Daily Sweepstakes entry selected in order to receive a Daily Sweepstakes Prize.

8. ODDS. Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible entries received.

9. SWEEPSTAKES PRIZES: Ten (10) prizes in the form of OTC merchandise certificate numbers will be awarded each day (“Daily Prizes”), for a total of seven hundred and fifty (750) Sweepstakes prizes (“Sweepstakes Prizes”).

Daily Prizes: Ten (10) $75 Oriental Trading merchandise certificate numbers. Approximate Total Retail Value of Daily Prizes ("ARV"): $750. Subject to Oriental Trading terms and conditions. No transfer, or cash or other substitution of prizes is allowed, except that Giveaway Entities reserve the right, in their sole and absolute discretion, to substitute a prize or prize component of comparable or greater value. Prize will be delivered in the form of a merchandise certificate number for use on the Sponsor’s website. Selected Entrants may also redeem merchandise certificate with phone orders. Giveaway Entities will not replace any lost or stolen prize once in the possession or control of the prize recipient. Merchandise Certificate Number must be redeemed no later than February 28, 2009. In no event will expired or lost merchandise certificate number be replaced.

Total ARV of Sweepstakes Prizes: $56,250.


10. CONTEST JUDGING AND NOTIFICATION. Judging will be completed in three (3) rounds. All entries will be prescreened to insure the entries have correctly met the Submission Guidelines and meet with Giveaway Entities general standards and practices prior to any judging. (“Qualified Submissions”)

First Round: Judging. Beginning on or about July 11, 2008, and through and including July 16, 2008, Qualified Submissions will be reviewed and scored by a panel of qualified judges, on a 100-point scale as follows:

  • Relevance to topic (30 points);
  • Creativity and uniqueness (30 points);
  • Effective and original use of Oriental Trading products (30 points);
  • Clarity of expression, grammar and spelling (10 points);

At least 10 of the top vote getters (“Top 10”) will move to the second round. In the event of a tie, all tying entries will be rescored to determine 10 Semi-Finalists.

Prior to the Second Round, up to the Top 10 Contestant will be contacted using the information they provided on their entry form and will be required to provide declarations of eligibility and liability/publicity release forms. The Top 10 Contestant will have Seventy-Two (72) hours to respond by e-mail or telephone, and two (2) total days to complete and return all forms required, before being considered a “Semi-Finalist.” Any Top 10 Contestant who does not complete and return all forms within the specified time period will not advance to the Second round. In the event that a Top 10 Contestant does not return the completed paperwork in its entirety, another Top 10 Contestant may be chosen from among Submissions with the next highest total points scored, at Giveaway Entities’ sole and absolute discretion.

Second Round: Public Voting. On or about July 22, 2008, up to 10 Semi-Finalists’ Submissions, names, will be posted on http://maketheworldmorefun.com site for review and voting by registered users up to and including August 4, 2008 5PM (ET). (the “Voting Period”). Only one vote per IP address per computer. Up to five (5) Semi-Finalists with the most votes tallied during the Voting Period will move to the final round of judging (“Top 5”). In the event of a tie, the tying submissions will be posted for an additional three (3) days in order to determine 5 Finalists.

Final Round Judging: Beginning on or about August 5, 2008, Finalists’ Submissions will be reviewed and scored by Giveaway Entities’ panel of qualified judges, according to the following criteria:

  • Compelling nature of Submission (30 points);
  • Overall use of Oriental Trading products (30 points);
  • Persuasiveness and enthusiasm (15 points);
  • Overall presentation (15 points).

The top vote getter will be deemed the Selected Contestant. In the event of a tie, all tying entries will be rescored to determine one (1) Selected Contestant.

11. CONTEST NOTIFICATION. The Selected Contestant will be notified by phone, email and/or mail (as determined in the Giveaway Entities’ sole discretion) The Selected Contestant will be required to respond (as directed) to the notification within the Seventy-Two (72) hours of attempted notification. Selected Contestant may also be sent an affidavit of eligibility / liability / publicity release (“Release”). Unless restricted by law, Selected Contestant will be required to complete and return the Release within ten (10) days of date notice sent. Should any Selected Contestant be unwilling or otherwise unable to provide such permissions, verifications and/or releases, or otherwise cannot accept or receive the prize for any reason, a Contestant with the next highest score will be chosen from the remaining entries until one who is able to meet all requirements can be selected. Giveaway Entities reserve the right to modify the notification procedures at any time. In the event of a dispute about the identity of a Selected Contestant, each entry will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet Service Provider, online access 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 email address. In this regard, the Selected Contestant may be required to provide proof that s/he is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the Contest Submission selected (i.e., pursuant to the subsequent random drawing procedure described above) in order to receive a Contest Prize. Selected Contestant’s full names, hometown, likeness and Submission may be announced and posted on Sponsor’s web site and in Sponsor’s marketing and advertising materials.

12. CONTEST PRIZE: One (1) Contest Prize: $10,000 cash to Selected Contestant, plus $5,000 cash and a $5,000 Oriental Trading merchandise certificate to the person or organization mentioned in the winning Submission (“Third Party”) to make the idea happen. Total ARV of Contest Prizes: $20,000. Merchandise Certificate subject to Oriental Trading terms and conditions. Unless restricted by law, the Third Party may be required to sign liability/publicity releases and return them to Giveaway Entities within a reasonable time. Should the Third Party (i) cannot be reached; (ii) does not respond to Giveaway Entities’ notification; (iii) fails to obtain all signatures on the releases and to return the documents in a timely manner as required pursuant to these Official Rules; or (iv) cannot accept or receive the prize for any reason, the Third Party will forfeit it prizes. No transfer, or cash or other substitution of any Contest Prize is allowed, except that Giveaway Entities reserve the right, in Giveaway Entities' sole and absolute discretion, to substitute a prize or prize component of comparable or greater value. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery/fulfillment of the Contest Prize to the address provided in the Contest entry of Selected Contestant. As a condition of receiving prize, organization or person nominated must agree to a photo shoot and interview on location at the organization and person's place of residence. Photos, names, and likenesses will be used for publicity purposes on Sponsor's website and in print and other electronic media. Giveaway Entities will not replace any lost or stolen prize or prize component(s) once in the possession or control of Selected Contestant. Merchandise certificate must be redeemed no later than February 28, 2009. In no event will expired or lost merchandise certificates be replaced.

13. GIVEAWAY PRIZE CONDITIONS: Each Giveaway Contestant hereby irrevocably and perpetually waives the right to assert as a cost of receiving any prize any and all costs of verification and redemption to redeem such prize and any liability which might arise from redeeming or seeking to redeem such prize. All applicable federal, state, local or other tax liabilities (including income taxes) arising from this Giveaway will be the sole responsibility of the prize recipients. Except where prohibited by applicable law, regulation, rule or order, the entry and acceptance of any prize constitutes permission to Giveaway Entities to use such person’s Submission, name, photograph, likeness (including non-photographic and simulated), statements, biographical information, voice, and city and state address for any and all promotional or advertising purposes in connection with this Giveaway and/or the Giveaway Entities’ business operations and product/service offerings, on a worldwide basis and in all forms of media, now or hereafter known, in perpetuity, without review, permission or further compensation of any amount or kind whatsoever. All Giveaway entries are subject to verification prior to awarding of any prize. Eligibility, age, and any and all other claims shall be subject to verification prior to the actual awarding of a Prize.

14. GIVEAWAY CONDITIONS: VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. This Giveaway is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws of the United States. By participating, each Giveaway Entrant/Contestant hereby irrevocably and perpetually (a) agrees to be fully and unconditionally bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Giveaway Entities and (b) waives any right to claim ambiguity in the Giveaway or these Official Rules. Each Giveaway Entrant/Contestant hereby irrevocably and perpetually agrees to release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, attorneys, representatives and agents from and against any and all claims, judgments, damages, losses, disability, attorneys' fees, and costs of litigation and settlement, as well as any liability due to any injuries, damages or losses to any person (including death) or property of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from (i) redemption, acceptance, possession, ownership, misuse or use of any prize or participation in any Giveaway-related activity or participation in this Giveaway, or (ii) printing, distribution, production or mailing/e-mailing/communication/transmission errors. Giveaway Entities or their affiliates may rescind any promotion found to contain such errors, without liability, at its sole discretion. NEITHER GIVEAWAY ENTITIES NOR THEIR REPRESENTATIVES MAKE ANY WARRANTY, REPRESENTATION OR GUARANTEE, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN FACT OR IN LAW, RELATIVE TO THE USE OF ANY PRIZE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE (UNLESS GIVEAWAY ENTITIES ELECT TO PROVIDE ANY PRIZE RECIPIENT WITH ANY EXPRESS WRITTEN WARRANTIES). FURTHER, NEITHER SPONSOR NOR THE GIVEAWAY ENTITIES ACCEPT ANY ADDITIONAL EXPENSES, OMISSIONS, DELAYS OR ACTS OF ANY GOVERNMENT OR AUTHORITY.
15. RESTRICTIONS: Giveaway Entities shall not be liable to Selected Entrant or Selected Contestant for failure to supply a prize or any part thereof, by reason of any acts of God, any action(s), regulation(s), order(s) or request(s) by any governmental or quasi-governmental entity (whether or not the action(s), regulations(s), order(s) or request(s) prove(s) to be invalid), equipment failure, threatened terrorist acts, terrorist acts, air raid, blackout, act of public enemy, earthquake, war (declared or undeclared), fire, flood, epidemic, explosion, unusually severe weather, hurricane, embargo, labor dispute or strike (whether legal or illegal), labor or material shortage, transportation interruption of any kind, work slow-down, civil disturbance, insurrection, riot, or any other similar or dissimilar cause beyond Giveaway Entities's sole and reasonable control.

16. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: Giveaway Entities are not responsible for: (a) lost, late, misdirected, undeliverable, incomplete or indecipherable entries due to system errors or failures, or faulty transmissions or other telecommunications malfunctions and/or entries; (b) technical failures of any kinds; (c) failures of any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Giveaway; (d) unauthorized human and/or mechanical intervention in any part of the entry process or the Giveaway; (e) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from any Entrant/Contestant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt or use of any prize. Giveaway Entities may prohibit an Entrant/Contestant from participating in the Giveaway or receiving any prize if, in Giveaway Entities' sole discretion, Giveaway Entities determines that such Entrant/Contestant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unsafe or unfair playing practices (including the use of automated quick entry programs) or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other Entrants/Contestants or Giveaway Entities' representatives. Giveaway Entities reserve the right to cancel or suspend the Contest, in their sole discretion, should it receive fewer than 100 entries, or receive no entries that have a judged score above 85 points. If for any reason this Giveaway is not capable of running as planned, including, but not limited to, infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, or any other similar or dissimilar causes beyond the sole and reasonable control of Giveaway Entities which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper, safe and fair conduct of the Giveaway, then Giveaway Entities reserve the right, exercisable at any time in Giveaway Entities' sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend all or any part of the Giveaway and to select the Selected Entrant by means of a random drawing from among all eligible Giveaway entries received by Giveaway Entities up until the time of such cancellation, termination, modification or suspension, as applicable; and to select the Selected Contestant according to the First Round judging criteria as of the time of such cancellation, termination, modification or suspension, as applicable. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY ENTRANT/CONTESTANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE GIVEAWAY MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND/OR CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, GIVEAWAY ENTITIES RESERVE THE UNRESTRICTED RIGHT, EXERCISABLE AT ANY TIME IN GIVEAWAY ENTITIES' SOLE DSICRETION, AND WITHOUT WAIVER OF OR LIMITATION ON ANY OF GIVEAWAY ENTITIES’ OTHER AVAILABLE LEGAL AND/OR EQUITABLE RIGHTS AND REMEDIES, TO SEEK CIVIL AND/OR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS' FEES) FROM AND AGAINST ANY SUCH CONTESTANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.
17. PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF USE: All personal information collected by Giveaway Entities will be used for administration of the Giveaway. In addition, Entrants/Contestants may receive email correspondence from, or on behalf of the Sponsor or promotional partners, subject to the Sponsor’s privacy policy. Sponsor uses reasonable commercial efforts to comply with Federal CAN-SPAM guidelines, and Entrants/Contestants may subsequently opt-out of receiving further emails by following the opt-out instructions contained in the email. Please refer to Sponsor’s privacy policy located at: www.maketheworldmorefun.com for important information regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by Sponsor. Any questions regarding privacy matters should be directed to the address set out below. In additional, information provided by Entrants/Contestants may be used by Sponsor to send Entrants/Contestants marketing and advertising materials by mail.

18. RULES/WINNERS’ LIST: For a copy of these Official Rules or the name of Selected Contestant and Selected Entrants, send your request in a self-addressed, stamped envelope (VT residents need not affix postage) to: E-centives/Invenda, Make the World More Fun Sweepstakes & Contest, 6901 Rockledge Dr., Ste 610, Bethesda MD 20817. Requests must be received by January 1, 2009.