[CONTEST ALERT] Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!

[Brooks]

Some people have a burning desire to do drastic things; to throw caution to the wind and maybe join the circus. Others have a fiery passion for thrill-seeking. Others still are content to simply read about heroic feats. You won't catch me on a trapeze, nor will I don a flying suit.  I'm not much of a reader, either.  I'm somewhere in the middle. But I'm a fan of literal interpretation.

For years, Employees of Southwest Airlines have been faced with the possibility that the next year could really be the LAST EVER Chili Cookoff. Okay, so maybe this year's event isn't really in danger of being our 39th and Last Chili Cookoff (and actually, there's a story there...), but we still want to act like it is, and provide a lucky winner and a guest with the opportunity to enjoy it for themselves. Not only that, we want our lucky winner to be one of our chili cookoff guest judges!  Nodding to the previous mention of literal interpretation, I know when something is about to end, you gotta get when the gettin's good.  

The details:

39th and Last Chili Cookoff

Date: Saturday, April 14th, 2012

Location: Sandy Lake Amusement Park in Dallas, TX

The contest:

We want to know: what makes your heart burn for Southwest Airlines?

1. Take a picture.

2. Send it to write.southwest@wnco.com

It's as simple as that. Only one entry per email address is allowed.  Unlimited use of creativity is preferred!

OFFICIAL RULES

“What Makes Your Heart Burn For Southwest?” Contest

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.  A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.

VOID IN PUERTO RICO AND WHERE PROHIBITED.

1.   How to Enter the Contest

a.    Southwest Airlines “What Makes Your Heart Burn for Southwest?” ("Contest") will begin on or around 10 a.m. CT on Friday, March 9, 2012 and will end on or around 5 p.m. CT on Friday, March 23, 2012. 
b.    To participate in the Contest, you may enter via the following method:
Submit a creative photo to write.southwest@wnco.com that illustrates "what makes your heart burn for Southwest Airlines."  All entries submitted will not be acknowledged or returned. By entering, Entrant grants Sponsor an irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free, freely transferable license to use the photo for all purposes, in any and all media, whether now known or hereafter devised. Photos must not be copied.  Entries may not violate any third party rights nor use any third-party intellectual property such as logos or background signs.  Entrants acknowledge and agree that their entry does not violate any rights of privacy or publicity and that they have the written permission of those appearing in their photo to submit their image.  Entries must not disparage; contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, or vulgar; or promote bigotry, racism, hatred or discrimination based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation.  Use of any device to automate entry is prohibited.  Proof of submission of an entry shall not be deemed proof of receipt by Southwest.  Southwest Airlines computer is the official time keeping device for the contest.  Southwest is not responsible for entries not received due to difficulty accessing the internet, service outage or delays, computer difficulties or other technological glitches.  By entering this Contest, you agree to abide by these Official Rules.
c.    One entry per person is permitted. Any person found using multiple email addresses to enter will be found to be ineligible.

2.   Eligibility Restrictions

a.    The contest is open to all legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older and the age of majority in their place of residence as of March 23, 2012.   Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited or restricted by law.  The contest is open to legal residents of the United States and is offered only in the United States.  Employees of Hertz, LaQuinta, Southwest Airlines, AirTran Airways, the independent judging entity, and the members of their immediate families (spouse and parents, children and siblings and their spouses) and individuals living in the same households of such employees are ineligible to enter or win.  The contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
b.    Only one winner per household is permitted in any Contest administered by Southwest.
c.    Entrants are required to provide truthful information and Southwest will reject and delete any entry that it discovers to be false or fraudulent.  Southwest Airlines will disqualify any entry from individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirements, and Southwest Airlines will also delete any entry received from persons under the age of 13 in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

3.   Prizes:

a.   One (1) grand prize to consist of opportunity for Winner to be Guest Judge at 39^th and Last Chili Cookoff, roundtrip airfare for winner and one (1) guest from the closest major airport to winner's residence served by Southwest Airlines, on published, scheduled service (subject to Southwest Airlines terms and conditions; certain restrictions may apply), to winner's choice of a Southwest Airlines city destination. Airline tickets awarded will expire on 3/31/13. Grand Prize to also include a two (2) night (double occupancy) stay at any LaQuinta Inn & Suites in the continental U.S., and $100 gift certificate to Hertz Car Rental (minimum age and credit restrictions apply).  Approximate Retail Value of Prize: $1050  No prize substitutions, cash equivalent, or transfer of prizes permitted except at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Prize subject to availability and the Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to award a prize of greater or equal value if the advertised prize is unavailable.  Taxes are solely the responsibility of the winner.  
b.    In the event that a prize or prize certificate is mailed to the winner, it will be with the prior written consent of the winner and therefore, winner assumes the risk of its loss.  Sponsor is not responsible for the safe arrival of a prize or prize certificate.

4.   Selection of Winners
Decisions of judges with respect to the Contest are final.  This is a contest of skill. Your chances of winning depend on how well your entry reflects the judging criteria, as compared to the other entries in the contest.
The judges will be judging on the following qualities:

Creativity and Originality: 20% 

Entertaining: 25%

Southwest Appeal: 35% photo should reflect our Culture and Fun-LUVing Attitude.

Rules: 20% Read and complied with the official rules.

a.    The top “What Makes Your Heart Burn for Southwest?” submission will be selected by a panel of judges. You need not be present to win.
b.    Potential winner notification will be made by Sponsor via email. Potential winner must execute and return any required affidavit of eligibility and/or liability/publicity release in which they agree to hold Sponsor and its parent, subsidiary and affiliated corporations, and the officers, shareholders, directors, employees, agents and representatives harmless against any and all claims or liability arising directly or indirectly from use of the prize or participation in the Contest.  Affidavits will be mailed or emailed based on the potential winner’s preference beginning March 30, 2012.  Affidavits must be executed and returned within seven (7) days or prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner may be chosen. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, fails to sign and return the required affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release within the required time period, or if a prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize.  Upon timely completion of required affidavits and release, winners should expect to receive their prizes in the mail by April 11, 2012.

5.   Conditions

a.    Payments of all federal, state and local taxes are solely the responsibility of the winner.  Winner may be required to sign an IRS Form W-9 or the equivalent.
b.    By participating in the contest, the winner agrees to have their name, voice, or likeness used in any advertising or broadcasting material relating to this contest without additional financial or other compensation unless prohibited by law, and, where legal, to sign a publicity release confirming such consent prior to acceptance of the prize.
c.    Southwest Airlines is not responsible for lost, stolen, mangled, miss-delivered, postage due, illegible, incomplete or late entries, telephone service outages, delays, busy signals, equipment malfunctions and any other technological difficulties that may prevent an individual from entering or claiming a prize.
d.    Southwest Airlines, in is sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person tampering with the entry process, the operation of Southwest Airlines website or is otherwise in violation of the rules.  It further reserves the right to cancel, terminate or modify the contest if it is not capable of completion as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention or technical failures of any sort.
e.    Sponsor reserves the right to make changes in the rules of the Contest, including the substitution of a prize of greater or equivalent value, which will become effective upon announcement. 
f.     Failure to comply with the Contest rules may result in a contestant’s disqualification solely at the discretion of the Sponsor.
g.    The Sponsor is not responsible for typographical or other errors in the printing, the offering or the administration of the Contest, or in the announcement of a prize.
h.    Copies of the written Contest rules and a list of the winner (when complete) are available during regular business hours at Southwest Airlines, Emerging Media P.O. Box 36611, Dallas, TX 75235-1611.  For a winners list, send a self-addressed return envelope, after March 23, 2012.  All requests must be received by April 30, 2012. 

6.         Sponsor:   Sponsor is Southwest Airlines Co., Emerging Media, P.O. Box 36611, Dallas, TX 75235-1611.