World Cup ticket offer - Anyone want free tickets for Germany 2006?

whiskeyman

Some of you may have seen the attached ad in yesterdays Motors section of the Irish Times.
It states "Win two match tickets to the World Cup in Germany 2006".

Nice competition, you make think. However, they've made 2 serious blunders here.

1) To state "Win" means you've already succeeded in securing it.
What always should be stated in such terms is "be in with a chance to win" and signal a draw will take place.

2) There's no Terms and Conditions or any sign of the *Terms and Conditions apply anywhere on this ad.

So, technically you could turn up on the dates shown and demand your tickets
Of course they'll say no, and then you can get them done for false advertising.
However, I've seen a few competitions advertised poorly like this, and the companies that ran the competitions had to hand over the prizes in question.

I wonder what would happen if a good few people turned up demanding their tickets

EKRIUQ

The way I read it, its telling you to win which would mean you have to act to acheive this, ie buying the car.

whiskeyman

BingoBongo wrote:

The way I read it, its telling you to win which would mean you have to act to acheive this, ie buying the car.

That's obviously what they meant....but the copy they used is so flawed.
As I pointed out, they should have stated "be in with a chance to win"... the "chance" being the crucial word here.... or at least indicate a draw of some sort.
And at the very least, have the infamous "*T&Cs apply".
In advertising and legal terms, this ad clearly states you are entitled to 2 tickets just by showing up. :v:

Culchie

I'd tend to agree with your view Whiskeyman.....the old * Terms and Conditions apply is needed here.

I'm not surprised, because GE Capital Motor Finance will be behind this, and although they are Direct Marketing veterans at this stage.... I've worked with them in a previous 'life' and they are prone to simple errors....and the old check it, and check it again advice is ignored by them.

A very basic error.

dudara

That's so odd. Competitions are usually far better organised and worded than that.

whiskeyman

dudara wrote:

That's so odd. Competitions are usually far better organised and worded than that.

I know!
Couldnt believe it when I first saw it.
I had to keep scanning every corner looking for "*T&Cs apply" but there's none.
Might nip round to my local Hyundai dealer tomorrow and see what sort of reaction I get

gerrycollins

the only thing i can say is that the word win is used in the wrong context by them and as u rightly say is false advertising but their radio ad's state everything correctly odd that they not get this one right
in the cambridge dictionaire is a sentence similar to that used to describe the word "win"
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=90658&dict=CALDbut look at "win" itself the poster does not refer to anyone such as "you" etc so when used as a noun it refers to someone!!!
think u should give it a shot but i think we all know where u will be told to go and if this went to the advertising standards ppl they would get a slap on the wrist and blame the paper for a printing error due to the rest of their ad's been correct