The Google Online Marketing Challenge

Terms and Conditions

  1. In these terms and conditions: "Student" means a student who (a) is enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate course at any Higher Education Institute in any of the following regions: Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East or Africa) or Asia Pacific, and (b) studies under the direction of a professor (or similar senior academic) affiliated with the Higher Education Institute.
  2. The Competition is open to all Students who are (a) in a class or student group which has been registered for the competition by their professor in accordance with clause 3, and (b) in a group of four to six other Students. Each Student may only be in one group. Employees (and their families) of Google Inc and any affiliates, as well as representatives or agencies of Google or other persons professionally connected with the Competition, are excluded.
  3. Professors must register their class using the online registration procedure here. Google will not accept registration requests received by any other route. The closing date for receipt of class registration requests by Google from professors is midnight GMT on 1st February 2008.
  4. Each Student group will select a business that (a) has a website, (b) is not already advertising using Google AdWords, (c) has not been selected by any other Student group, and (d) agrees to have a campaign devised and run for the purposes of the Competition.
  5. Each Student group will be jointly and severally responsible for (a) ensuring that their selected business approves the campaign (including the creative(s)) in writing before the campaign is run live, (b) following the instructions given by Google to open a limited AdWords account for use by the group in the Competition, and (c) complying with the terms and conditions applicable to the AdWords programme (available here). The AdWords account must not be used in connection with any advertising or marketing except the Competition campaign, and cannot be used after the Competition campaign has finished.
  6. Google will give to each Student group free online advertising spend for Google AdWords worth USD200 for use in the Competition. The terms and conditions applicable to the AdWords vouchers are available here.
  7. Each Student group will:
    1. upload to Google and submit to their professor a report outlining their online marketing strategy for their selected business ("Pre-Campaign Strategy") at least one week prior to the start of their campaign;
    2. run the online campaign in accordance with the Pre-Campaign Strategy during a three week window, which must fall between midnight GMT on 10th February 2008 and midnight BST on 24th May 2008 inclusive ("Competition Window");
    3. upload to Google and submit to their professor a report assessing the results of their campaign, what they learned and how the business can improve its online marketing campaigns ("Post-Campaign Summary") within three weeks after the end of the campaign. Each report must be in the format set out in the “Guide to the Google Online Marketing Challenge” document distributed by Google;
    4. in order to protect the Google brand and to promote a good experience for each selected business, each Student group undertakes to communicate to their selected business information about how the business can continue to use Google AdWords after the Competition, should the business so choose. The “Guide to the Google Online Marketing Challenge” will include a letter to be supplied to all participating businesses to help students do this quickly and easily.
  8. Professors will ensure their students send copies of the Pre-Campaign Strategy and Post-Campaign Summary in electronic format to Google as directed in subsequent email communications. Google will not accept group reports by any other route. The closing dates for receipt of the documents by Google is midnight GMT on 14th June 2008. Reports received after this date will not be eligible for judging in the Competition. Student teams will submit reports one week before the campaign starts for the Pre-Campaign Strategy and three weeks after the campaign ends for the Post-Campaign Summary.
  9. Google will use the campaign statistics to determine the top five teams in each of three regions (Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific). An independent panel of academic judges will then review the Pre-Campaign Strategy and Post-Campaign Summary reports to select from these teams:
    1. One winning Student group (the "Global Winner"); and in addition
    2. Three regional winners (one Student group for each region, excluding the Global Winner) (each “Regional Winners”); and in addition
    3. Six finalists (two Student Groups for each region, excluding the Global Winner and Regional Winners) (each “Finalists”), based on the quality of the two written reports submitted by the Student groups (weighted in accordance with the judging criteria available in the "Academic Guide to the Google Online Marketing Challenge"). Google will provide assistance as required to the judging panel in assessing any metrics/effectiveness data.
    In addition Google will use the campaign statistics to determine the top fifty Student groups in each region (outside of the Global Winner, Regional Winners and Finalists) (each “Semi-Finalist”).
  10. The winners and their professor will be notified on or before 14th July 2008.
  11. Global Winners’ Prize. The Global Winners and their professor will win a week's holiday to San Francisco, USA, including a full day visit to the US Googleplex offices to meet the team that developed AdWords. The Global Winners’ prize includes for each Student and their professor, travelling together, economy return flights from an airport in the country where their Higher Education Institute is located, seven nights' accommodation in a five-star hotel in San Francisco on a bed and breakfast basis, transfers from San Francisco airport to the hotel and back, and a trip to Googleplex in Mountain View, California, but does not include any other transport and/or supplementary charges, the cost of other meals, personal expenses, incidentals, and/or ancillary products or services. Holiday to be taken within 12 months of date of notification, with date of holiday to be arranged with Google, subject to availability. In addition, each student in the Global Winners' team will receive a laptop to the value of approximately USD$2,500. Actual retail value of the Global Winners Prize for the team approximately USD$35,000, but may vary depending on the region from which winners are flying.
  12. Regional Winners’ Prize. The Regional Winners and their professor will be invited to spend a day at a major Google office within their region, including attending the Finalist presentation ceremony for that region. The Regional Winners’ prize includes, for each Student and their professor travelling together, economy travel to the chosen Google office, plus 1 night's hotel accommodation near the Google office, and meals during the stay. Trip to be made within 12 months of date of notification, with date of the trip to be arranged with Google, subject to availability. In addition, each student in the Regional Winners' team will receive a laptop to the value of approximately USD$1,300. Actual retail value of each Regional Winners’ Prize for each team approximately USD$8,000, but may vary depending on the locations from and to which winners are travelling.
  13. Finalists' Prize. The Finalists and their professors will be invited to attend a presentation ceremony at a major Google office within their region. All Finalists in a region will be expected to attend the same ceremony. The Finalists' Prize includes, for each Student and their professor travelling together, economy travel to the chosen Google office, plus 1 night's hotel accommodation near the Google office, and meals during the stay. Students and their professor will need to be available to fly on specific dates to allow for coordination between both region Finalists and the Regional Winner to attend the same presentation ceremony. Details of dates for the presentation will be communicated to winning teams in advance to allow adequate time to plan schedules. This prize is made available only for Students and professors who can attend the ceremony. Students and professors who cannot attend the ceremony will forfeit the flights and accommodation. Actual retail value of each Finalists' Prize for each team is approximately USD$5,000, but may vary depending on the locations from and to which winners are travelling.
  14. Semi-Finalists' recognition. Each student in a Semi-Finalist Student group will receive a personalized certificate noting their status as a semi-finalist in the Challenge.
  15. After the winners have been announced, Google will grant recognition of winners and finalists by:
    1. Distributing certificates of participation and Google branded merchandise for all Students selected by Google under clause 9; and
    2. Mentioning or otherwise featuring the names of participating Higher Education Institutes, winning Student groups on the Competition website maintained by Google.
  16. In submitting a report during the Competition, each Student jointly and severally with his/her fellow group members warrants that the group or a member of the group wrote the report and the campaign creative(s) and is the owner of the copyright in it, and that each member of the group consents to its being used in whole or in part within future Google communications, in whatever way Google sees fit, including for press and media purposes. If the group is not the copyright owner, the group represents and warrants that it has obtained the consent of the owner(s) to use the report and the campaign creative(s) in the manner set out in these terms without any payment.
  17. Google accepts no responsibility for entries lost, delayed, damaged, defaced, or mislaid, howsoever caused.
  18. Reports or other documents sent to Google or the judging panel during the course of the Competition will not be returned. Only one entry per Student group.
  19. The winners may be required to sign, notarize and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability/Publicity Release (except where prohibited by law) and provide any additional information (such as social security number) that may be required by Google. Except where prohibited by law, each winner must return all such required documents within seven (7) days following attempted notification or prize may be forfeited.
  20. There is no cash alternative and the prizes must be taken as offered. Google reserves the right to substitute prize(s) of an equivalent value should the prizes become unavailable for any reason. If the winning group is not able for whatever reason to accept their prize then Google reserves the right to award the prize to another participant.
  21. It is the responsibility of each Student who is rewarded with a prize involving travel, to ensure that he/she holds a valid passport and visa (if required) and travel/medical insurance. Acceptance of the prize is subject to permission from a parent or legal guardian if applicable.
  22. If you are a professor, by registering your class in the Competition you (a) agree to be involved in media activity (including any press interviews which Google may reasonably arrange) regarding the Competition, and (b) you represent and warrant that your school permits Google to mention the school, and to include in offline and online marketing materials the school’s logo or other brand identifiers.
  23. If you are a Student, by participating in the Competition, you agree to be involved in media activity (including any press interviews that Google may reasonably arrange) regarding the Competition.
  24. Any personal information collected during the course of the competition by Google will only be used for administering this Competition.
  25. By entering:
    1. participants release and hold harmless Google and its respective parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, panellists and agents from any and all liability for any damage, loss or delay (including personal injury and death, and property damage) resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of any prize, participation in this Competition, or while travelling to, preparing for, or participating in any prize-related activity, except for personal injury or death caused by Google’s negligence or any other liability which cannot be excluded by applicable law, and
    2. grant to Google the right to use and publish their proper name and winning entry online, in print and in any other media in connection with the Competition. Google will not be responsible for any damage, loss or delay incurred by any business which agrees to have a campaign devised and run for the purposes of the Competition, except for personal injury or death caused by Google’s negligence or any other liability which cannot be excluded by law.
  26. Void where prohibited by applicable law.
  27. To request a copy of these rules and/or the winners’ list please write to Google at the address below.
  28. Promoter and Data Controller: Google (mail to: Google Online Marketing Challenge), Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TQ, UK.