CONTEST | A WEEK IN ANTIGUA ON CREST (YES, THE TOOTHPASTE)

Some of these contests take work. Things certainly aren't always self-evident. For instance, yesterday afternoon I attempted to enter the Crest Imagination Tour contest for a one-week stay at Jumby Bay, St. John's, Antigua. Not only was there no obvious way for me to know whether I had entered the contest correctly, it wasn't clear straightaway that this was one of those contests you could enter daily.

Before proceeding any further here, take note: This is one of those contests you can enter daily. It runs through April 15.

Here's the link: http://crest.eprize.net/imagine/

Another vexing part of this entry involved the Official Rules. I’ve decided it’s my blogospheric duty to understand the gist of them, and, without going overboard (yes, that would be a travel metaphor), highlight salient points and caveats. For instance, unlike the Sony/Cinearts contest featured two posts ago, this one is open to residents of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. So, power to the people. However, my inability to cut and paste the Official Rules into a Word file somewhat stymied my due diligence.

In any event, here’s what I culled:

The Prize: This one is confusing. The offer sounds like the prize is seven days and seven nights in Jumby Bay, which I assumed means Jumby Bay Resort (http://www.jumbybayresort.com/), since its logo and photos of the resort appear on the Crest website. However, the contest rules state that the prize will include seven days and seven nights at “accommodations at a hotel determined by the Sponsor in [sic] its own sole discretion.” Does this mean that Crest, which is manufactured by Procter and Gamble, could bait-and-switch the lucky winner to other lodging?

The ARV (Approximate Retail Value): $15,000

The Deadline: April 15. And remember, you can enter daily.

Prize Trip: May 1, 2006 through November 18, 2006.

The Sponsors: Procter and Gamble. (Gamble. Get it. Gamble. Contest. Gamble.)

The Fine Print: These rules contain Disputes language. Interesting. Again, I’m new to the semiotics of travel-contest rules, so this might be standard. But still. A gal has to wonder, especially with the contradictory language about accommodations.

The Final Word: I use Colgate. I wouldn’t dream of switching to Crest even if I won.