What is up with Starbucks and Canadians?
Here’s a post that
proves I spend way too much time waiting for my tall mocha every day at
Starbucks. Apparently Starbucks has a sweepstakes
right now where you can join an Earthwatch field research expedition in Costa Rica to help out with forest restoration.
Strikes me as a little bizarre, but it?fs an interesting concept and I
guess it plays well with their earth-friendly image. What I found very weird, though, is that
although the pamphlet states that ?gno special skills are needed?h and the
promotion is open to all residents of the US and Canada (except those in Hawaii
and Quebec), the official rules go on to state that ?gIf a resident of Canada
wins a prize, they will be required to correctly answer a timed mathematical
skill question… before the awarding of the prize?h Umm…
Say what? I did a quick search on
the internet, and it looks like they had the same stipulations for an earlier
promotion to Italy. Somebody is either playing a very subtle joke or they have some
serious issues…
Note: see comments.
dying
March 29, 2004 @ 3:41 pm
actually, i heard that the test of skill is required by canadian law. i
believe most countries have laws regulating lotteries in their country.
for example, i think the reason why, in the states, no purchase is
necessary to enter promotional lotteries is because the option to enter
such lotteries without purchase is required by law. i’m not positive
about this, as since i don’t have any legal references, but it seems to be
an oft said reason as to why canadian lotteries require tests of skill.
dying
March 29, 2004 @ 4:27 pm
so, after some searching, i think i have a legitimate reference for the law.
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-34/35409.html#section-74.06
the site claims that the text offered may not be the official version, but
for our purposes, i believe that it will be sufficient.
Phillip Lipscy
April 2, 2004 @ 8:31 pm
I see… I guess I can go back to my daily mocha routine in peace now. Thanks-