GUND "Top Dog" contest

I was approached this week to share information about GUND's first "Top Dog" contest. I thought it sounded fun, and kind of neat, and agreed to share it with my readership (I love being able to say a thing like that, by the by. Thanks guys!)

Quoted from the email:

Have you ever wished you could immortalize your pet? If so, you are in luck, because today GUND announces the first ever GUND “Top Dog” contest!

Launching July 16^th and inspired by the wildly-popular Boo stuffed dog from GUND, the “Top Dog” contest invites pup parents from around the country to submit photos of their own four-footed friends, in one or all of the following four categories:

·         Most Beautiful Dog

·         Ugliest Dog

·         “Doganista” / Best Dressed Dog

·         Dog that Most Resembles its Owner

The Grand Prize will have tails wagging; GUND will create a limited edition model of the winner’s dog. The dog will be available in gift and toy stores in 2013. That’s right! Your pup could become a GUND plush just like Boo!

You and your readers may submit their dog photos via the contest tab on GUND’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/GottaGettaGUND), which will be live on Monday, July 16, 2012 at 12:00 a.m. EST. The contest will run July 16, 2012 - August 15, 2012; winners will be chosen the week of August 20^th and announced the week of August 27^th.

Simultaneously with the Top Dog Contest on Facebook, GUND will run the Most Pinteresting Dog Contest on Pinterest. Consumers will be asked to post their entry on their own pages, “tag” @GUNDMostPinterestingDog and submit the link to GUND at MostPinterestingDog@GUND.com. The Most Pinteresting Dog Contest winner will be selected based on the number of times the entry is “liked” on the GUND Pinterest board and the winner will receive a selection of GUND products valued at $250 retail.

For complete rules, see Top Dog Contest and Most Pinteresting Dog Contest rules at GUND.com.

Because I wonder/worry about such things, I did ask the PR person about rights retention, and about what winners of the top dog, versus the Pinterest contest, actually got. Since I couldn't see (or couldn't find) the rules yet, she happily sent me the rules. If you're also concerned about things like rights retention of your photos, and that sort of thing, here is the applicable portion:

LICENSE TO USE SUBMISSIONS:

Sponsor shall have the right to disqualify any entries that they deem to be obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit, lewd, derogatory, inappropriate, or otherwise not in good taste, as determined by the Sponsor in its discretion. Submissions must not contain any third party material or content (including but not limited to any company logos or trademarks, photographs, likenesses, film or video clips, music, or any other copyrighted or trademarked content) for which you have not been granted specific written permission for this use by the copyright or trademark rights holder. Entrant grants to the Sponsor and its designees the irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, edit, market, store, distribute, have distributed, publicly and privately display, communicate, publicly and privately perform, transmit, have transmitted, create derivative works based upon, and promote your dog's biographic information, and comments, or, as applicable, your dog’s image(s), biographic information, and comments (collectively, the "Submission") in connection with the Contest and such other products or services as the Sponsor may designate in any medium now known or hereafter devised for editorial, commercial, promotional and/or any other purpose. In addition, the Sponsor shall have the right to reproduce and distribute your dog’s name, images, likenesses, photographs, voices, biographical materials, and Submission for advertising, publicity and promotional purposes in broadcast, print and or other media as the Sponsor may determine in their sole discretion. Entrant retains ownership of all right, title, and interest in and to your Submission. Entrant agrees that the Sponsor owns all right, title, and interest in any compilation, collective work, or other derivative work created by the Sponsor using or incorporating your Submission. Entrant hereby grants to the Sponsor the right to edit any of Entrant’s Submission, in whole or in part. In addition, Entrant hereby grants to the Sponsor and their designees the right to use any edited Submission, or parts of a Submission, without your approval and waives any right to inspect or approve uses of the Submission prior to or following publication and any right to compensation for the Submission. All elements of Entrant’s Submission must be Entrant’s original work and must be owned by Entrant, and Entrant must have the right to grant any and all necessary rights and licenses, including without limitation, all necessary copyright and other related rights to all of the materials, free and clear of all claims and encumbrances without violating the rights of any person or entity, including any right to privacy or publicity. By submitting a Submission, Entrant agrees to release and hold harmless the Sponsor and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of Entrant’s Submission or Entrant’s participation in any phase of this Contest.  

Disclaimer of Similarities:  Due to the nature of this Contest, there is a possibility that similar Submissions may be entered by multiple individuals. Any similarity between Submissions shall in no way entitle Entrant to any consideration or compensation from the Sponsor or from any third party, including in the event a Submission similar or identical to yours is selected as a winner in this Contest.  By submitting your Submission, Entrant specifically acknowledges this possibility and agrees to the terms stated in these Official Rules.

So, I may or may not enter Elka. It would be really rad to win a thing like this, but I also don't want to use any of the pictures I already have and use. I'm also, obviously, hesitant to give somebody a picture of my dog to just use it however they like, without the ability to see how they'll use it ahead of time. Just one of those things, I guess, since I've already sort of "branded" Elka on my own.

But, now you know, and it does sound like a fun contest. Let me know if you enter; it would be cool to know somebody who's a stuffed animal!