Top tips for your terms and conditions … PromoVeritas

Behind every great promotion should be a  great set of Terms and Conditions – they are not just for decoration. Many promotional disasters have been avoided as a result of having carefully crafted T&C’s to protect both the promoter and the consumer.

Engagement is often a key objective of a campaign, building a positive relationship with consumers that enhances their connections with the brand. Think of the Dairylea packaging which mooed to alert purchasers that they’d won a dream holiday. Whilst a lot of care and attention is usually given to the concept and the look of the campaign, the T&C’s are often overlooked.

In reality T&C’s are essentially a contract between the entrant and the promoter, guarding both sides from abuse and omissions by communicating key facts such as start and end dates, full details of prizes offered, any restrictions on entry and so on. Although consumers may not bother to read them, T&Cs are a requirement of the CAP Code in the UK and are mandatory for most social media platforms worldwide.

Different styles of Terms and Conditions:

PromoVeritas draft thousands of sets of terms and conditions each year for all types of promotions globally, and uniquely we offer clients the choice of three different writing styles: Clear, Standard or Friendly way.

In this way, we are able to ensure that the terms reflect the ethos and style of the promoted brand, whilst still covering all essentials legal requirements.  So a promotion for financial institution might use the Standard clause “Please allow up to 28 days for the delivery of prize” where as a fashion brand may use more a friendly version of “If you are a winner, we’ll try and send you the prize as soon as we can – and within no more than 28 days from acceptance of the prize.” Regardless of the style, the trick is to get the right balance between being readable or approachable whilst still being professional and complete.

Lost in Translation

If you are running a promotion overseas it is essential that you have them translated properly – using Google Translate could land you in big trouble. Using a trusted translation service to make sure that they read correctly in all languages could make a big difference to your promotion. At PromoVeritas we have a tried and tested partner to guarantee that the hundred of sets of T&Cs that we draft each year are localised to make sense to the audience they are aimed at.

Top tips for promotional T&Cs

• Make sure that they cover all the CAP Code requirements
• Stick to clear, simple language that reflects your brand’s personality
• However, do not be too informal  – T&C’s are a legal agreement
• Be consistent in your tone and style of language
• Don’t be tempted to copy someone else’s T&C’s. They must be drafted for your business or brand and your promotion
• Signpost each section clearly using numbers, headers and subtitles
• It is often best to have summary terms in the main communications and a reference to where the Full terms can be found
• Explain any legal terms clearly
• Use a legible font in a readable size and colour
• Different countries have different laws and requirements – do not assume a UK set of terms will work abroad
• Always have your T&C’s drafted, checked, translated and localised by a professional verification service, such as PromoVeritas, to make sure they are compliant

For help and advice with terms and conditions or any aspect of running promotions contact Gemma Cutting on info@promoveritas.com or call +44 203 325 6000.