Vision Expo East 2018 $10,000 Fast Pitch Challenge Official Rules 

1.         HOW TO ENTER:

            (A)       Original Pitch:  To participate in the Vision Expo East 2018 $10,000 Fast Pitch Challenge (the “Contest”), an eligible participant (a “Participant”) must prepare and present an original idea that the Participant has used to successfully grow their business or practice and increased revenue (the “Pitch”).  The Pitch should include a description of how Participant’s original idea evolved and transformed into a successful program.

The Pitch must relate to one of the following four areas: (i) clinic or retail space design, (ii) innovative uses of technology, (iii) staff development such as training, retention, or team building, or (iv) internal or external marketing programs.

The Pitch may be submitted with photos and/or videos.

            (B)       Content Criteria. The Pitch and any accompanying materials, including the corresponding photos and/or videos, must meet the originality criteria of Section 6 below and the content guidelines of Section 7 below, and must be between 250-500 words (the “Criteria”).   Pitches which do not meet the Criteria shall be disqualified.

             (C)       Pitches must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST on February 2, 2018.

Participants can submit a Pitch by:               

(i)             Filling out the entry form and uploading any corresponding photos and/or videos located at https://a.pgtb.me/ Km8Djx and 

            (D)       Each Participant shall only be permitted to enter one Pitch.

(E)       The Contest Period begins Thursday, December 21, 2017 and ends on Friday, February 2, 2018

2.         ELIGIBILITY: 

            Only Eyecare Professionals (“ECP”) with at least one (1) representative registered to attend the 2018 Vision Expo East (the “Show”) are eligible to participate in this Contest. For purposes of eligibility, ECPs must be (i) a legal resident of the United States of America or Canada, or (ii) a privately-owned legal entity formed under the laws of a U.S. state, Canada or a Canadian province, who or which is the owner of one or more independently owned and operated brick and mortar retail establishments located in the United States of America or Canada. Residents of Quebec and legal entities formed under the laws of Quebec are not eligible to participate in this Contest.

            For purposes of clarity:

            (i)         If a bricks and mortar retail establishment also sells goods through an online website operated under the same name as the bricks and mortar establishment, such online presence will not disqualify an otherwise eligible bricks and mortar retail establishment.

            (ii)        A bricks and mortar retail establishment owned in part or in whole by a publicly-traded company is not eligible to participate in the Contest.

            (iii)       The Participant shall be deemed to be the owner of the independently owned and operated brick and mortar retail establishment regardless of the representative who enters on the independently owned and operated brick and mortar retail establishment’sbehalf.

            Show Exhibitors are not eligible to participate in this Contest. This Contest is open to legal residents of the United States of America and Canada (with the exception of Quebec), 18 years of age or older at their time of entry. Employees (and their immediate families and household members) of Reed Exhibitions and The Vision Council or its affiliates are not eligible. Employees (and their immediate families and household members) of Reed Exhibitions’ or and The Vision Council’s advertising and promotion agencies or their affiliates are not eligible. THIS CONTEST IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW AND is SUBJECT TO ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAWS. 

3.         PRIZE: A total of one (1) grand prize will be awarded (total estimated value of the grand prize is US$10,000.00).  There are no additional prizes.

             Grand Prize: The grand prize (the “Prize”) shall consist of (i) US$10,000.00 cash (the “Payment”), provided by Sponsor via check or EFT, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, The Payment shall be sent to the grand prize winner within sixty (60) days of the announcement of the grand prize winner.         

Please note: 

(iii)       In order to receive their grand prize, the grand prize winner must provide to Sponsor a completed W-9 form for tax purposes,

(iv)       Taxes: A 1099-MISC will be issued to the grand prize winner and each of the Finalists.  The grand prize winner and each of the Finalists is solely responsible for taxes on the prize received and should consult a tax professional to determine his or her tax liability. Sponsor is not allowed to give tax advice. 

4.         SELECTION OF GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

            (A)       After the Contest Period closes on Friday February, 2, 2018, each eligible Pitch submitted shall be reviewed by Sponsor, and eligible Pitches shall be submitted to a member of the Show’s advisory board as selected by Sponsor in its sole discretion (the “Advisory Member”).  The Advisory Member shall select ten (10) Participants as finalists (each, a “Finalist” and collectively, the “Finalists”) no later than Tuesday, February 20, 2018.  Pitches will be assessed on this basis of the criteria set forth in Exhibit A hereto, as may be amended or modified by the Sponsor and/or the Advisory Member in its or their sole discretion.

                        The Finalists will be notified by e-mail and/or phone no later than Tuesday, February 20, 2018. In order to be considered for the grand prize, a Finalist must return all required documentation provided by Sponsor within the indicated time period, including execution of an Affidavit of Eligibility and Publicity/Liability Release, to be returned within seven (7) days of the date of Finalist’s receipt of such request from Sponsor.  In the event of noncompliance with the foregoing requirements by a Finalist, such Finalist will not be eligible to win the grand prize.  In the event of noncompliance with the foregoing requirements by all Finalists, Sponsor reserves the right to have the Advisory Member select additional Finalists and/or to cancel the Contest.

                        Further, if at any time during the process Sponsor determines in its sole discretion that a Participant does not qualify as a business or practice owner that a Pitch does not meet the Criteria, or that a Participant has not complied with the Terms of Submission, a Participant may be disqualified. 

            (B)        The Pitches of the Finalists shall be reviewed and assessed by the Advisory Member selected by Sponsor in its sole discretion (collectively, the "Judges").  The Judges shall select the grand prize winner no later than Saturday, March 17, 2018 after the Finalists present their Pitches live at the Show at 10:00 AM in the L1 Innovation Lounge.

            (C)       All Finalists will be invited to a special program held live at the Show on Saturday, March 17 at 10:00 AM where the Finalists will make their Pitch to a panel of five Judges in front of a live audience.  Each Finalist will have five (5) minutes to make their Pitch to the Judges, and each of the five (5) Judges will then have one (1) minute to ask the presenting Finalist questions about their Pitch.  Thereafter, the Judges will confer and vote for which of the Finalists had the strongest Pitch, with each Judge having one (1) vote to cast.  The Finalist that has a plurality of the Judges’ votes will be announced as the grand prize winner will be announced. Winner must be present to win.

            (D)       If Sponsor desires, each of the Finalists’ Pitch submissions and live presentations of the Pitch will be posted on www.Facebook.com/visionexpo for viewing at least until Sunday, March 18, 2018.          

            (E)       RESERVATION OF RIGHTS: If for any reason, the Contest is not capable of being run as planned, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to change these Official Rules and to modify, suspend, cancel or terminate the Contest.  Further, Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to select no grand prize winner if an insufficient number of eligible, complete, tasteful, appropriate or generally qualified entries are received. The decisions of the Advisory Member, Judges and Sponsor are final and not subject to challenge or appeal.   

           
5.         TERMS OF SUBMISSION:      By entering this Contest, Participant represents and warrants that (i) Participant authored the Pitch submitted, (ii)  Participant created any materials attached to the Pitch, including photos and/or videos, or, if Participant did not create such attachments, Participant has the written permission of the creator of such attachment(s)to enter such attachments in the Contest and to grant the rights Participant grants herein, (ii) Participant‘s Pitch and the related attachments, including photos and/or videos, meets the originality criteria of Section 6 below, (iii) Participant is an attendee of the Show, and (iv) Participant has read and understood these Official Rules.

By entering, Participant agrees:

            (i)         Participant is authorized to enter into this Contest and make the representations stated herein.

(ii)        To be bound by these Official Rules, as they may be amended from time to time by Sponsor in Sponsor’s sole discretion and without prior notice, and the decisions of Sponsor, the Advisory Member, and the Judges, which are binding and final on matters relating to this Contest.

            (iii)       Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, post material about Participant and Participant’s Pitch on any platform and through any medium that Sponsor chooses, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, including but not limited to any website or social media platform for as long as Sponsor wishes. 

            (iv)       If Participant’s Pitch is selected as a Finalist, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, conduct a background check on Participant, including, but not limited to, civil, financial, and disputes/litigation, and Participant shall cooperate with Sponsor so that Sponsor may conduct such a background check if it desires.

            (v)       If Participant’s Pitch is selected as a Finalist or the grand prize winner, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, post Participant’s Pitch and related photos and videos submitted with the Pitch on any platform and through any medium that Sponsor chooses, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, including but not limited to any website or social media platform for as long as Sponsor wishes.

            (vi)       Participant grants Sponsor the right to alter and edit Participant’s Pitch and the related photos and/or videos or any part or element thereof.

            (vii)      Participant grants Sponsor and its licensees, successors and assigns a royalty-free and non-exclusive perpetual right to use (a) Participant’s Pitch and the related photos and/or videos and (b) the name(s) and likeness(es) of Participant and Participant’s business and/or practice for future advertising, promotion and publicity in any manner and in any medium now known or hereafter devised throughout the world in perpetuity, and Participant agrees to waive all claims to and shall receive no royalties of any kind now or in the future from Sponsor, its affiliates, or its licensees, successors and assigns for use of Participant’s Pitch and the related photos and/or videos in promotion of the Vision Expo East and Vision Expo West  through any distribution channels, including, without limitation, on websites owned by Sponsor, the Vision Expo YouTube channel(s), the Vision Expo Facebook page(s), or other websites or social media, including copyright, trademark, public performance, digital sound recording, mechanical, synchronization or master use royalties, and Participant represents, warrants and agrees that no other party is entitled to claim royalties from the use of Participant’s Pitch and the related photos and/or videos as set forth in these Official Rules.

             (viii)     Participant’s submission of Participant’s Pitch and the related photos and/or videos may not be acknowledged and will not be received or held "in confidence", and Participant’s submission of an Pitch or and the related photos and/or videos does not create a confidential relationship or obligation of secrecy between Participant and Sponsor or any of its affiliates or any of its licensees, successors or assigns. 

            (ix)       Grand prize winner grants Sponsor and its licensees, successors and assigns a royalty-free and non-exclusive perpetual right to follow and document the progress of how the grand prize winner utilizes the grand prize, including but not limited to the regular filming or photographing of grand prize winner’s business and/or practice (the “Follow-Up Videos and Photos”).  Further, grand prize winner grants Sponsor and its licensees, successors and assigns a royalty-free and non-exclusive perpetual the right to use the related Follow-Up Videos and Photos and the name(s) and likeness(es) of grand prize winner for future advertising, promotion and publicity in any manner and in any medium now known or hereafter devised throughout the world in perpetuity, and grand prize winner agrees to waive all claims to and shall receive no royalties of any kind now or in the future from Sponsor, its affiliates, or its licensees, successors and assigns for use of grand prize winner’s Follow-Up Videos and Photos in promotion of the Vision Expo East and/or Vision Expo West through any distribution channels, including, without limitation, on websites owned by Sponsor, the Vision Expo YouTube channel(s), the Vision Expo Facebook page(s), or other websites or social media, including copyright, trademark, public performance, digital sound recording, mechanical, synchronization or master use royalties.  Grand prize winner represents, warrants and agrees that no other party is entitled to claim royalties from the use of the Follow-Up Videos and Photos as set forth in these Official Rules.

6.         ORIGINALITY:           

            Participant’s Pitch and any attachments, including related photos and/or videos, must be Participant’s original work and must not contain any third-party content or other materials (such as text, graphics, artwork or logos) which Participant does not have the right or license to use.  Participant shall not include any copyrighted content in Participant’s Pitch and the related photos and/or videos unless (i) Participant owns the copyright, (ii) Participant has permission from the rightful owner of the material or (iii) Participant is otherwise legally entitled to use the material and to grant Sponsor a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sub-licensable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, and display the material in connection with the Contest.

            Modifying, enhancing, or altering a third-party's pre-existing work does not constitute an original work.

            Pitches submitted shall not: (i) violate the intellectual property rights (copyright, patent, trademark, etc.) of any third party; (ii) defame or invade the publicity or privacy rights of any person, living or deceased; or (iii) otherwise infringe upon any person's or entity's personal or proprietary rights.

7.         CONTENT GUIDELINES:         Please note that any Pitch or the related photos and/or videos that contains material that is violent, pornographic or otherwise obscene, illegal, or racially or morally offensive, as determined by Sponsor, in its sole discretion, shall be rejected as ineligible for judging. Entries must comply with all laws including, but not limited to, those concerning copyright, plagiarism, trademark, defamation and invasion of privacy.   

8.         GENERAL RULES:                 

            Prizes are nontransferable and no substitution will be allowed, except by Sponsor who reserves the right to award a prize (or portion of prize) of equal or greater value. Sponsor and its agencies assume no responsibility or liability for damages, losses or injury resulting from acceptance or use of a prize.

            Sponsor, its parents, subsidiaries and affiliates, its licensees, successor and assigns, and its marketing agencies (collectively, "Released Parties") are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, inaccurate, stolen, misdirected, damaged, incorrect, misrouted, undelivered, garbled, illegible entries or e-mail; or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone or cable transmissions, lines or technical failures or difficulties, or other errors of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, network, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors which may occur in connection with the administration of the Contest, the processing of entries, the announcement of the prizes or any Contest-related materials; or the incorrect or inaccurate capture of any entry or other such information or the failure to capture any such information. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Released parties are not responsible for injury or damage to participants' or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating in the Contest or downloading materials from or use of the website. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Contest or website, as solely determined by Reed Exhibitions and and The Vision Council, will be disqualified. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY PERSON TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW (AND TO DISQUALIFY SUCH PERSON FROM THE CONTEST, IF APPLICABLE).

9.         USE OF INFORMATION: Neither the Pitch nor any of the materials and information submitted by Participants will be treated as confidential, so please do not submit proprietary information. Participants further agree that personally identifiable information may be processed, stored, and otherwise used for the purposes of the Contest, including, but not limited to, checking Participant's identity, postal address, and telephone number, or to otherwise verify eligibility to participate.

10.       GOVERNING LAW:     The laws of the State of New York, without reference to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof, govern the Contest and all aspects related thereto.  Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by state or federal courts situated in New York, NY; (2) any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, but in no event attorneys' fees; (3) no punitive, incidental, special, consequential, or other damages, including without limitation lost profits may be awarded (collectively, "Special Damages"); and (4) entrant hereby waives all rights to claim Special Damages and all rights to have such damages multiplied or increased.

11.       WINNER:  For the winner’s name, please send a stamped, self- addressed envelope by Monday, April 2 to: Reed Exhibitions, Vision Expo East 2018 Fast Pitch Contest, 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851, Attn: Diane Tiberio.

12.       SPONSOR: Reed Exhibitions, having its principal place of business at 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851 and The Vision Council, having its principal place of business at 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 700, Alexandria, VA 22314 (together, the “Sponsor”) is the sponsor of this Contest.  

Exhibit A

Each member of the Judges will assign a point value from 1-10 in the following categories:

1.     Clinic or retail space design. Each member of the Judges will assign between 1-10 points for each Participant based on the uniqueness of the idea and whether or not the idea helps to create a better look and feel in the space.

2.     Innovative uses of technology. Each member of the Judges will assign between 1-10 points for each entry based on use of technology to innovate in the clinic or retail space.

 3.     Staff development:  training, retention, team building. Each member of the Judges will assign between 1-10 points for each entry based on the effectiveness of training and retaining a team that helped in the success of the business or practice.

4.     Internal or External Marketing Programs. Each member of the Judges will assign between 1-10 points for each entry based on the success of any marketing programs (internal or external) that were successfully implemented and resulted in an increase in business.