A badly framed contest cannot be repaired afterwards. And the point that most often catches brands out is not the rules themselves: it is where they appear.
The skill question is not decoration
It is a substantive requirement, and it has to be genuinely answered by the entrant.
Its form, its timing and whether it is compulsory depend on the type of operation and the province. Those points are checked before launch, against the applicable rules and with the competent authority, with a lawyer in case of doubt.
A question asked for form's sake, that nobody really answers, does not fulfil its role.
Published rules
They must exist, be accessible before entry, and say what they have to say.
Who may enter, how, during what period, how the winner is chosen, when and how they are informed, exactly what they win, what happens if they do not reply, and who is running the operation.
That document is drafted before the first post, not at the moment somebody asks a question.
Quebec has additional requirements
That is the point that most surprises teams based elsewhere.
Particular obligations apply to advertising contests, notably regarding declaration, deadlines, documents and language. They apply as soon as people located there can enter, whether or not you are established there.
They are checked before launch, never after, and a doubt is resolved with the competent authority or a lawyer.
What the creator must have
Three things, sent in writing before the post.
The exact text of the statements to include. The link to the full rules. And the list of what they must not say: a promise of winning, a guarantee of a result, a claim about the odds.
Add the closing date and the exact time, because that is the information entrants ask for in the comments.
What must never be done
Changing the conditions during the operation.
Changing a date, adding a constraint, reducing a prize or moving the selection of the winner after the start: each of those decisions creates a real problem, and it shows, since everything is public.
Nor should you ask for an action that cannot be verified, or an entry that requires personal data to be posted in a visible comment.
What rules must state in black and white
| The element | What it specifies | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Entry conditions | Age, territory, exclusions | An out-of-scope entry is void |
| The selection mechanism | Draw or a jury's choice | Two distinct legal regimes |
| The prize | Nature, value, how it is awarded | A vague prize ends in dispute |
What changes everything in the chosen mechanic
Chance. A prize draw and a creative contest are not governed by the same rules, and the applicable regime depends on the country and sometimes the province, to be confirmed with a lawyer before launch.
What the creator must disclose in their video
The advertising nature of the participation and the organiser's identity. This is not decorative: it determines the post's compliance as much as the rules themselves.
The practical version
Four steps, in this order.
Write the rules. Check the applicable obligations, including the Quebec ones, before any announcement. Send the creators the text to publish. And keep the screenshots, the dates and the draw.
That last step is useless as long as everything goes well, and enormously useful the day somebody challenges it.
