Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Hershey’s March Madness - Candy Giveaway

imageHershey’s is promoting their tie-in with March Madness (some sort of college basketball championship) and I have two (2) prize packages to give away!

The prize is a ball & mini basketball hoop and net that hangs on a cubicle or trash can (enhancing America’s productivity in this economic downturn), and lots of Hershey’s product (Kit Kat, Reese’s, Pay Day).

To enter simply send me an email to candybloggiveaway @ gmail.com with Basketball and Chocolate somewhere in the subject line. (You’re creative, come up with the rest, flattery isn’t necessary but certainly welcome.) Winners must be 18 or older and must have a USA address. Winners will be drawn at random from eligible entries (one per person). Deadline for entry is Sunday, March 15 at 10 PM Pacific.

For everyone else, Hershey’s is running a huge promotional tie in with March Madness, look for info on marked packages of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds Bars, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Almond Joy Candy Bars, Kit Kat Wafer Bars and PayDay.  The game runs through July 31, 2009 (winners get to go to the 2010 Final 4 or win other prizes). More on their special website.

Fine print: Emails not directed to candybloggiveaway @ gmail.com will be rejected. I will only share winning email addresses with Hershey’s PR folks (who will be doing the shipping) and will not use them for any other purpose. Winners must respond via email within 48 hours of notification, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. Do not send me your physical address unless you’re notified of winning.

UPDATE: I drew two winners (Jessica & Sheila) and the packages are being shipped out today. Congratulations!

POSTED BY Cybele AT 1:01 pm Tracker Pixel for Entry     CandyFeatured NewsFun Stuff

Comments
  1. That would be bloody right, only US addresses. How racist is that? They ship their products international but they don’t want to reward their international customers!

    Comment by Sweet Pursuit on 3/11/09 at 6:05 pm #
  2. Er…it might be centrist, but not racist.  To be racist, they’d have to say they’d ship to a certain race only, regardless of location.

    Besides…I think Hershey could argue that only the US cares about March Madness to any extant (and the chocolate deities know, some of us don’t care anyway.)  Much like Europe could argue that the US doesn’t care about the World Cup.

    Comment by Cat Skyfire on 3/12/09 at 4:30 am #
  3. Yes but we are not talking about March Madness per se, we are talking about the fact that they gave the owner of Candy Blog some treats to give away as a competition and said only US based addresses.
    Either they assume that only Americans are reading her blog, or they are too stingy to send some candy out to international fans.

    It’s alienating alot of readers who won’t be able to enter. Being that the candy blog features candy from around the world, a reader would expect that a competition would be open to them whever in the world they are.

    Comment by Sweet Pursuit on 3/12/09 at 6:17 am #
  4. Cybele's avatar

    “Sweet Pursuit” - I am quite hurt by your allegations of racism, whether directed at me or Hershey’s, I think they’re unfounded. The “owner” of Candy Blog is me, Cybele, I’m a person.

    I have the option of not doing the contest or doing it with their conditions. (The desires of the many outweigh the few?) They’re doing the shipping, not me. I try to be especially transparent about these things when I get involved with corporations.

    Candy Blog is not a profit-making venture for me, you must realize that. I have some ads on here and those cover my costs of candy for review, hosting, site development & upgrades and my travel for the trade shows I cover - what’s left over would hardly qualify as a wage. (I could make it very profitable but I never wanted to create a site I wouldn’t want to read and certainly will not compromise my integrity for a few bucks - I do not engage in pay-per-post nor will I do affiliate links in posts for the same reason.)

    Candy Blog is a place of passion, where I share my obsession for candy with anyone who visits. I get a lot of joy out of it for the most part, a lot of candy ... and I think that sharing that candy is part of the fun. (Sometimes ... now is not one of those times.)

    So, should I contact Hershey’s and tell them that it should be an international competition and offer that I will pay the difference in the shipping costs? (Or have them ship it to me first and then I’ll send it along to any winner on the planet.) I have run other contests, at my own expense, where it has been open to any address.

    Finally, Kelly, as far as I can tell from your previous comments here and your own blog, you hate Hershey’s products.

    So to everyone else, this is the opportunity: the open thread for my international <strike>fans</strike> readers to criticize, tell me what I’m doing wrong, how I’ve alienated you. (Sorry, Americans are not allowed to critique in this thread.)

    Comment by Cybele on 3/12/09 at 7:05 am #
  5. Cybele - you continue to do an EXCELLENT job of sharing your passion with us!  PLEASE do not let the needs/desires of the few outweigh the needs/desires of the many.  If someone does not care for the way you operate this blog, then they can change the channel, so to speak!

    Comment by Susan on 3/12/09 at 7:28 am #
  6. Cybele - (I’ve rewritten this about 20 times). 

    This is your blog.  I love reading your reviews.  I’m sorry that one person has the gall to complain about a third party offering your readers free candy. 

    I’m not eligible.  But then I don’t care about American College Basketball either.  So oh well.  I’m not their demographic.

    Comment by Amber on 3/12/09 at 8:31 am #
  7. Well said, Cybele.  Now bring on the Gummi Bear Brand Battle!  (I just saw that to the right, and I’m picturing gummi bears with plastic swords fighting to the juicy death… to music of the gummi bear song…) 

    Oooh, maybe we could have fun.  A contest only open to residents of the eastern half of Nebraska?  Only those in Yemen?  Only those in France who prefer to speak Italian? 

    Truth is, international shipping is more expensive and harder to track.  If any major company wanted to do a worldwide giveaway, they’d probably do so from their more regional centers.  Most giveaways are ‘open to US residents only’.  Quite a few, those who use something other than USPS, may even exclude Alaska and Hawaii.  Are they alienating their non-US clientele?  Maybe.  But most people don’t get that involved in it.

    Comment by Cat Skyfire on 3/12/09 at 8:31 am #
  8. I think you are doing a wonderful job with the blog - you review candy from around the world with joy and passion. Your photos are amazing and inspire me to put in more time with my camera and improve my own work.

    As to the competition, you have said that these are the conditions that the providers have put on participation.

    As to Hershey’s themselves there are laws they have to operate with in - this is a game of chance and governed by strict regulations. The same thing happens with competitions on goods tehre are manufactured in one location and marketed to both New Zealand and Australia - often the competitions or giveaways are only available in one jurisdiction. It’s mildly annoying but not worth getting upset about.

    Comment by anabels on 3/12/09 at 10:02 am #
  9. Just for your info, i DO like Hershey’s products, it’s only the kisses i don’t like. Since i’ve only tried kissables and kisses, and loved kissables i just thought the opportunity to try other Hershey’s products would be great.

    FYI i did’t call cybele racist or whatever, i called Hersheys. I do know that Hershey’s are running the competition and it was no way meant as a personal attack of Cybele.

    I enjoy reading this blog just like everyone else does. I never said Cybele was out to make money from it, so no need to explain that.

    Even if you open the forum for “international readers to critisize” i doubt anyone would because i wasn’t inviting people to critisize your blog at all, i was just saying my point of view.

    We believe in freedom of speech in Australia, i didn’t realise you didn’t have that in America. It was merely my opinion, not the gospel, no need to take offense but i would have liked to enter the competition.

    I also think that international readers do not expect free postage, if I entered i would pay the postage to myself if i won. Oh well, that’s that.

    I will keep reading your blog because i do like the content and i think you do a great job writing and photographing, (i never said anything about not liking it in fact).

    So go you American residing people, hope you enjoy your Hersheys!

    Comment by Sweet Pursuit on 3/12/09 at 1:56 pm #
  10. Sweet Pursuit:  There is freedom of speech here.  But just because you say something doesn’t mean that others, like the blog owner, cannot call you on your words and speak their own mind.  If Cybele chose, all comments would be moderated and Cybele would delete any she didn’t like.  She doesn’t do that.

    However, you threw out a very harsh word…and incorrectly at that.  When you insinuate that an entity is racist, it is no small thing, especially when you’ve nothing to back it up with.  Various companies may be centrist (US only) but those who are actually racist blissfully do not stay in business very long, or if they do, it’s very small business.  One may even say a country is being discriminatory regarding one’s national origin, but by definition, that is not racist, as it has nothing to do with race.

    Comment by Cat Skyfire on 3/12/09 at 4:19 pm #
  11. I don’t believe i ever said that people couldn’t speak their own mind on here, that’s what freedom of speech is all about. I just maintain that it wasn’t aimed at Cybele and it wasn’t about her so don’t get your knickers in a knot over it.

    I’m not going to discuss racism with you, but as it falls under the umbrella of freedom of speech and i am entitled to my opinion, i wrote it down as a comment. I don’t care if you think i’m wrong, i stick by what i originally wrote.

    Yes, Cybele is free to do what she likes, i respect that. If she wants to delete comments she can, i know that, don’t need to be told by you like i’m some dumbo.

    Comment by Sweet Pursuit on 3/13/09 at 6:03 am #
  12. Companies create contests for various reasons.  As a general rule the contest winners must reside in the same country as the company.  Each political entity, whether it be a country, state, or other political entity can set their own rules.  In addition, the U. S. A. customs service has certain rules on what may be exported.  Each country can have their own rules on what might be imported. 
    Hersheys could not afford to keep up with all the possible rules to give away candy throughout the world.

    Comment by Joe on 3/19/09 at 7:54 am #
  13. I’m from england . I cant buy half the sweets you review- but i enjoy reading about them smile
    i cant enter a lot of contests here, or on other sites because they aren’t open outside of the states. by the same note you cant enter any of the contests held here in england. its just one of those things.
    you do a great job- i’m happy with your sites giveaways or not. lets face it- even if i could enter the hershey giveaway i probably wouldnt win anyway- laws of probability and all.
    so… yes- candy blog = good
    whinging posters = bad.
    lol smile

    Comment by katherine on 3/22/09 at 8:23 am #
  14. Well, good luck to all those who were able to enter. smile I’m not saying anymore on the matter, i’m just gonna keep reading the blog smile

    Comment by Sweet Pursuit on 3/24/09 at 7:24 pm #
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.

Next entry: Reese’s Crunchy (Limited Edition)

Previous entry: Amano Jembrana




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT

FEEDS

CONTACT

  • .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
  • Here are some frequently asked questions emailed to me you might want to read first.

EMAIL DIGEST

    For a daily update of Candy Blog reviews, enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

CANDY RATINGS

TYPE

BRAND

COUNTRY

ARCHIVES

Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.

 

 

 

 

Facebook IconTwitter IconTumblr IconRSS Feed IconEmail Icon

COUNTDOWN.

Candy Season Ends

-2548 days

Read previous coverage

 

 

Which seasonal candy selection do you prefer?

Choose one or more:

  •   Halloween
  •   Christmas
  •   Valentine's Day
  •   Easter

 

image

ON DECK

These candies will be reviewed shortly:

 

 

image