SCHMIDT MARKET RESEARCH SWEEPSTAKES (“SWEEPSTAKES”) RULES AND REGULATIONS

ONE SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY PER COMMUNITY MEMBER PER QUARTER. NO PURCHASE OF ANY KIND OR PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH NECESSARY TO BE ENTERED OR TO WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND OR PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.  ENTRANTS MUST BE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS OF THE START OF THE SWEEPSTAKES PERIOD FOR A GIVEN QUARTER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT QUARTER’S SWEEPSTAKES. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

  1. SWEEPSTAKES PERIOD: Each quarterly Schmidt Market Research Sweepstakes starts at 12:00am Eastern Standard Time (“ET”) on the date Schmidt Market Research (“SMR”) contacts Community members inviting them to participate and closes at 11:59pm ET on the date which is 2 weeks later (the “Sweepstakes Period”). Each quarterly Sweepstakes is sponsored by Schmidt Market Research, 125 Hillvue Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. SMR will also administer the quarterly Sweepstakes.  SMR is and shall remain solely responsible for the delivery of the Prize(s) to the winner(s).
  1. ELIGIBILITY: Each quarterly Sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who are directly contacted by SMR and invited to participate. All entrants must be eighteen (18) years of age (or the age of majority in their state of residence, if higher) or older at the time of entry into a quarterly Sweepstakes. Employees, agents, and representatives of SMR and its subsidiaries or affiliates and each of their respective advertising and promotion agencies are not eligible to win, nor are the parents, siblings and children of any such employee, agent, or representative or any person with whom such employee, agent, or representative is domiciled.
  1. PRIZES: In each quarter, six (6) potential winners will be randomly drawn to each receive one (1) $25 e-gift card (the “Prizes”).  Total Approximate Retail Value of all Prizes for the year:  $600.  The drawing will be held one week after the close of each quarterly Sweepstakes Period. All Prizes are to be denominated in US dollars.
  1. HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Each quarterly Sweepstakes is offered electronically via the Internet. All entrants who accept the quarterly invite to participate in the Sweepstakes are automatically entered into the drawing. Entrants are limited to one (1) Sweepstakes entry each quarter.  All entries become the exclusive property of SMR and will not be acknowledged or returned.
  1. SWEEPSTAKES DRAW(S): The drawing will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from all eligible entries received during the applicable Sweepstakes Period. Winners will be determined by random selection by SMR from all eligible entries received.  The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  1. PRIZE AWARDING: Prizes will be awarded only on verification by SMR that all Sweepstakes requirements have been met by the winners. Each Prize must be accepted as awarded and no substitution, transfer, conversion, or assignment of Prizes will be allowed, unless at the discretion of SMR which may substitute a Prize of comparable or greater value. No correspondence will be entered into except with selected Sweepstakes entrants at the email address listed on the SMR systems. SMR will notify each winner by email within fifteen (15) days of the drawing date. Each winner will have two (2) business days from notification to accept the Prize by email. SMR is not responsible for and shall not be liable for late, lost, misdirected, or unsuccessful efforts to notify the winner. If a selected winner cannot be contacted within the allotted time or the winner fails to accept the Prize within two (2) business days of receiving notice, SMR reserves the right to void that entry and select another eligible winner for that Prize in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received during the previous Sweepstakes Period. In order to be declared an official winner, the selected winner will be required to consent to these Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations and winner declaration conditions.  If a selected winner(s) fails to consent to the Declaration and Release within two (2) business days, SMR reserves the right to void that entry and select another winner for that Prize in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received during the previous Sweepstakes Period. By digitally consenting to the Declaration and Release conditions, the entrant (i) confirms compliance with these Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations, (ii) releases and forever discharges SMR and NBCUniversal Media, LLC, their affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective advertising and promotional agencies from all claims, demands, damages, actions, and causes of action arising or to arise by reason of the acceptance or use of the Prize, and (iii) grants to SMR (and its licensees and partners) a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual license to edit, publish, promote, republish at any time in the future, and otherwise use entrant’s name, likeness, biographical information, and any other information or materials provided by entrant, in any and all media now known or hereinafter devised, without territorial restriction (except where prohibited by law), for possible editorial, publicity, promotional or advertising purposes, without further permission, notice or compensation (except where prohibited by law).

Electronic Gift Card Prizes will be delivered to official winners within six (6) weeks after receipt of the Declaration and Release consent via email. SMR is not responsible for and shall not be liable for late, lost, or misdirected communication from the SMR website to the official winners’ email addresses.

  1. SWEEPSTAKES GENERAL RULES: By entering a quarterly Sweepstakes, entrants agree to abide by these Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations and the decisions of SMR, which are final, and winners consent to the use by SMR and/or NBCUniversal Media, LLC of their name and hometown or home state for any lawful purpose, without further permission or compensation, expect where prohibited by law. SMR reserve the right at any time to withdraw this Sweepstakes or to modify, amend, or supplement these rules, subject to applicable law.
  1. WINNERS LIST: To obtain a copy of the winner list or a copy of the Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations, send your request to: Schmidt Market Research, Schmidt Market Research/NBCUniversal Media Sweepstakes Winners List, 125 Hillvue Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. Requests must be received no later than two months after the close of the applicable Sweepstakes Period and must enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. VT residents may omit return postage.
  1. DISQUALIFICATION: SMR is not responsible for lost, interrupted or unavailable network server or other connections, miscommunications, failed telephone or computer or telephone transmissions or technical failure, jumbled, scrambled or misdirected transmissions, or other error of any kind whether human, mechanical or electronic. Persons found tampering with or abusing any aspect of this Sweepstakes or the operation of the SMR website or any other SMR hosted website, as determined by SMR, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. If disqualified for any of the above abuses, SMR reserves the right to terminate the entrant’s eligibility to participate in future drawings. SMR reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend or terminate the Sweepstakes at any time and for any reason and to award Prize(s) to individuals selected at random from the pool of entrants received up to the point of termination. SMR agrees to take such action in a fair and appropriate manner. In no event will more Prizes be awarded than those listed in the Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations.
  1. TAX INFORMATION: Liability for any applicable taxes imposed by any government, if any, on any Prize won is the sole responsibility of the winner of such Prize.
  1. APPLICABLE LAWS: This Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and county laws. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
  1. PRIZE DISCLAIMER: SMR is solely responsible for the delivery of the Prizes to the Prize winners, as declared by SMR.  SMR shall not be responsible or liable to entrants for any losses, damages or costs incurred as a result of entrants entering the Sweepstakes or use of a Prize won in connection with this Sweepstakes or the failure by SMR to deliver the Prize to the winner in accordance with the Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations. By participating in the Sweepstakes, each Entrant agrees to RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS SMR, NBCUNIVERSAL MEDIA, LLC, THEIR PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS, PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES AND RELATED COMPANIES, AND EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS (COLLECTIVELY THE “RELEASED PARTIES”) FROM AND AGAINST ANY LOSSES, DAMAGES, RIGHTS, CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION OF ANY KIND ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, OUT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE SWEEPSTAKES OR RESULTING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE, OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE AWARDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SWEEPSTAKES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, AS WELL AS CLAIMS BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION, AND/OR INVASION OF PRIVACY.  The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes; (2) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Sweepstakes; (3) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of Sweepstakes submissions, including, but not limited to, malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (4), late, lost, undeliverable, or damaged mail; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of any prize or while traveling to or from any prize-related activity.  Each winner also further acknowledges that the Released Parties have neither made, nor are in any manner responsible or liable for, any warranty, representation or guarantee, expressed or implied, in fact or in law relative to any prize or this Sweepstakes including but not limited to quality, condition or fitness for a particular purpose.  If for any reason an entrant’s submission is confirmed to have been erroneously lost, or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, the entrant’s sole remedy is another submission and thereby another entry into the Sweepstakes.

Any Prize awarded will be delivered by SMR or by a third-party retained by SMR for the purpose of fulfilling the Prize (in which case the entrant consents to the disclosure of his/her name, address and such other personal information as is required for the limited purpose of delivering the Prize to the winner).

  1. DATA PROTECTION NOTICE: Entrants’ personal information is protected by Schmidt Market Research’s Privacy Policy.  The SCHMIDT MARKET RESEARCH Privacy Policy can be found at the bottom of the Sweepstakes email invitation labeled “Privacy Policy” or to view the SCHMIDT MARKET RESEARCH Privacy Policy log on to the SCHMIDT MARKET RESEARCH website at https://www.schmidtmr.com, select “Policies & Forms” and “Privacy Policy”.
  1. DISPUTES: Entrant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes or any Prizes awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate courts located in the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (or County of New York, State of New York, U.S.A. in the case of claims involving NBCUniversal Media, LLC); (ii) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Sweepstakes but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (iii) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.  SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.  All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and SMR in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (or the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A. in the case of claims involving NBCUniversal Media, LLC) without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (or the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A. in the case of claims involving NBCUniversal Media, LLC).