Rules and Regulations

The Red Lobster Ocean Sustainability Challenge (“Challenge”) encourages students currently enrolled in grades 6-8 to form teams of 1 to 5 students (“Student Teams”) to choose a goal and apply it to a problem affecting ocean ecosystems, marine life, or the environmental health of waterways. What problem can be solved? What new technology or innovation can be created now to address this problem? The Challenge asks students to dream up innovative and sustainable solutions to address problems affecting our valuable oceans, helping to preserve the planet’s waters for future generations. The Challenge inspires kids to explore their capabilities and imagination, strengthen their STEAM skills, and prepare to tackle today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.

The Challenge commences on or about 9:00am PT on February 5th, 2025 and ends with final voting on May 2, 2025. Limit one (1) entry per Student Team. Grand Prize winners must be available to travel to Los Angeles, CA for an all-expenses paid trip featuring ocean-themed activities. Information regarding the Challenge is available at www.redlobsterblueocean.com (“Challenge Website”).

Video submissions are due by 11:59pm PT on March 28, 2025. The 20 Student Teams with the most impactful and inspiring Challenge Submissions will be notified on April 16, 2025 if their submission will move onto the final round of judging.

Student Teams are required to register through their adult representative to participate in the Challenge. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win the Challenge or any Prize. No purchase of any good or service will increase the Student Team’s chance of winning the Challenge.

The Challenge is void where prohibited. The Challenge is considered a game of skill and shall be governed by the following rules, regulations, terms and conditions (“Rules”):

1. Binding Agreement and Compliance: These Rules are a legally binding agreement by and between each Student Team and their parent or legal guardian and the Sponsor. The Rules govern each Student team’s participation in the Challenge. No Student Team may enter the Challenge, nor be eligible to win any prize described in these Rules (“Prize”), unless the Student Team member has registered through their parent or legal guardian and their parent or legal guardian agree to these. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in Student Team’s disqualification from the Challenge.

IF YOU ARE A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN AGREEING TO THESE RULES FOR THE BENEFIT OF A STUDENT TEAM YOU ARE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ENTRY IN THE CHALLENGE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY LEGAL LIABILITY THAT HE/SHE MAY INCUR.

The purpose of these Rules is to fully state the binding requirements for competing in the Challenge. Except as expressly set forth in herein, these Rules do not extend beyond activities related to the Challenge. These Rules may be revised at the sole discretion of the Sponsor, effective upon written notice to the Student team and their parent or legal guardian. By participating in this Challenge, each Student Team and their parent or legal guardian is bound by the interpretations of these Rules by the Sponsor, which are rendered final unless the Sponsor, in their sole discretion, agrees to change them. Decisions of Sponsor shall be final in all aspects related to the Challenge.

All Student Teams and their parent or legal guardian must adhere to all local, regional, and national laws, orders, directives, ordinances, treaties, rules, and regulations for all aspects of the Challenge. Student Teams shall be solely responsible for acquiring the appropriate licenses, waivers, or permits from the applicable regulatory bodies or other applicable third parties. Student Teams must abide by relevant age restrictions for all software and hardware components used in the process of competing in the Challenge. The Sponsor shall in no way be responsible for providing to Student Teams any advice or counsel, legal or otherwise, with regard thereto.

2. Eligibility: The RLOSC is open to all middle school students within the United States. Employees, consultants, and contractors of Red Lobster, and each of their respective parent, subsidiary, and affiliated companies and their immediate families (i.e., parents, spouse, children, siblings, grandparents, step parents, step children, and step siblings) are ineligible.

All members of a Student Team must be currently enrolled in the same middle school and must be at least eleven (11) years of age and no more than thirteen (13) years of age, as of the date of Student Team’s registration in the Challenge in order to participate in the Challenge. There is a limit of one (1) submission per Student Team. There will be one (1) Grand Prize Winner, provided that Sponsor receives a sufficient number of qualified Challenge Submissions. Submissions of any prior competitions will be considered and allowed.

The official language of the Challenge is English. All communications and all Challenge Submissions shall be in English unless the Student Team has received prior written permission from the Sponsor to use another language. If necessary, Student Teams must provide translation into English of Challenge Submission content. Only Video Submissions through the Challenge Website will be accepted.

3. Challenge Timeline: The Challenge commences at 9:00am PT on February 5th, 2025 and ends on May 5, 2025. Open to students ages 11-13, in grades 6-8. Limit one (1) entry per team. Grand Prize winners must be available to to travel to Los Angeles for an all-expenses paid trip featuring ocean-themed activities (“Challenge Period”). The sole determinant of time for the purposes of receipt of a valid entry in the Challenge will be the Sponsor clock. All determinations by Sponsor regarding time are final.

Timeline:
  • February 5th, 2025: Challenge opens
  • March 28, 2025: Submissions due
  • April 16, 2025: Top 20 teams notified
  • April 21 - May 2, 2025: Crowd voting
  • May 5, 2025: Winners announced

4. Registration and Verification: Starting February 5th, 2025 at 9:00am PT, Student Teams will be able to register and submit their entry for the Challenge online at the Challenge Website through a parent or legal guardian “(Adult Representative”) at least 18 years old. The Adult Representative must assist with Challenge submissions and follow the on-screen directions to complete online registration in accordance with the directions in the form ("Registration Page").

Registration. The Adult Representative must provide the Adult Representative’s first and last name as well as email address; the Student Team members’ first names as well as ages; and must agree to the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Official Rules, by selecting “SUBMIT.” Registration confirmation will be sent via email to the address provided by the Adult Representative. In the event of a dispute regarding who submitted a Challenge Submission, the Challenge Submission will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the Account from which the Entry was submitted. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned the email address used to register for the Challenge, by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the registered email address.

5. Challenge Submission: An Adult Representative must submit the video for their Student Team before the deadline. There is a limit of one (1) submission per Student Team. If the invention or innovation already exists, Student Teams should explain what makes theirs different and why it is important. Video Submissions must be no more than three (3) minutes in length and must include a short description.

All Challenge Submissions must be under no restriction, contractual or otherwise, that will prevent Sponsor's use of the Submission and must be free of any and all liens, encumbrances, and claims of third parties.

To upload the Challenge Submission, Student Teams are required to register through their Adult Representative to participate in the Challenge. Videos that include students’ first and last names, physical addresses, school names, or any other identifying information will be immediately disqualified from further consideration.

The video and the "script" (wording and presentation) must be original. The video could have been submitted to another Challenge previously.
If the video is taken by a third party, you must have secured all rights and clearances to the video from the third party.
  • The video cannot contain any music or any identifiable background images (posters, logo shirts, objects with brand names, identifiable brand products, etc.).
  • Materials, products, and other objects used in the video should have their brand names obscured.
  • The video cannot contain materials displaying copyrighted images, names, likenesses, photographs, or anything else that identifies any person, living or dead, without permission.
  • The video cannot defame, misrepresent, or contain disparaging remarks about people or companies.
  • The video cannot be obscene or offensive, endorse any form of hate or hate group, or be derogatory to any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional, or age group.
  • The video cannot communicate messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill with which Red Lobster wishes to associate.
  • The video cannot depict illegal activity and cannot itself be in violation of any law.
  • The video may not include images of a known celebrity, famous or well known person, or any image that violates the right of privacy or publicity of any person.
  • The video cannot be more than three (3) minutes in length.

6. Judging: Each Video Submission will be judged upon the criteria set forth below by judges (“Judges”) selected and appointed by Sponsor as set forth below. All decisions made by the Judges shall be final and binding upon both Student Teams and Sponsor.

For judging, Challenge Submissions will be scored based on the following weighted (“Judging Criteria”):
  • Creativity (ingenuity and innovative thinking) (30%)
  • Potential Impact (30%)
  • STEAM Knowledge (20%)
  • Feasibility (20%)

Preliminary Judging ends Friday, April 11, 2025. First round Judges will assign a score to each Challenge Submission pursuant to the Judging Criteria. The Challenge Submissions with the 20 highest scores will be contacted and checked for semi-finalist eligibility. If there is a tie between two (2) or more Student Teams, then the Student Team with the highest score for “originality and creative expression of idea” will prevail, with any remaining ties resolved at the sole and absolute discretion of the Sponsor. All calculations, formulae, algorithms, and other methods of score tabulation and evaluation shall be at the sole and exclusive discretion of the Judges and Sponsor and shall not be subject to challenge or appeal.

The Top 20 semi-finalists will have their submissions available on the RLOSC website for crowd voting. You must be a U.S. citizen to cast a vote. Teams are encouraged to promote their video to get votes from their community. Any teams found to use bots or other voting technology to collect votes will be disqualified. The voting component will make up 30% of the overall final score.

Adult Representatives of the Student Teams whose Challenge Submission has the highest score will be contacted using the contact information provided at registration to verify identity and eligibility as well as confirm Student Team’s participation in the Grand Prize (“Prizes”) (see below for more information). The Adult Representative(s) will also be required to sign an Affidavit acknowledging and accepting the requirements set forth therein. Only after this process is completed will the Student Teams be deemed Grand Prize Winners and Runner Ups. If a Student Team is found to be ineligible or not in compliance with these Rules, or if Prize notification or any Prize is returned as undeliverable, the potential Winner will be disqualified and all privileges otherwise due as a Prize Winner shall be terminated. Winners will be announced via the Challenge Website, and Challenge Sponsor’s social media platforms.

All Winners must commit to participating in the Program, which includes participating in the prize of traveling to Los Angeles for an all-expenses paid trip featuring ocean-themed activities June 6-8, 2025 (dates subject to change).

Winners will be showcased on the Challenge Website. Winners’ first names, the first letter of their last name, and their city of residence may be listed on the website; no other personally identifying information will be listed. Information about the Winners’ Challenge Submission type and school name will also be listed.

7. Prizes: Provided that the Sponsor receives a sufficient number of qualified Challenge Submissions, one (1) Grand Prize Winner and four (4) Runner-Up teams will be awarded. Such Prizes will include the following:

1. Each member of the Grand Prize Team will receive an all-expenses paid trip to California featuring ocean-themed activities, free enrollment to the 2025 FIRST Competition of your choice, a trophy, and a STEAM kit.

2. Each member of the Runner-Up Teams will receive free enrollment to the 2025 FIRST Competition of your choice, a trophy, and a STEAM kit.

All Prizes are non-transferable, non-exchangeable, and non-refundable, have no cash value, must be accepted by Winner as awarded, and may not be separated. Only one free enrollment to the 2025 FIRST Competition allowed per winning team.

If a Winning Team declines a Prize or is unavailable for Prize fulfillment, an alternate Winner will be selected from remaining Finalists. All Prizes will be awarded provided that a sufficient number of entries are received and the Prize is validly claimed by no later than May 12, 2025.

Members of the Winner Teams’ first names and last initial may be included on the Sponsor’s websites and/or in local and national media outreach. Prizes may be terminated or extended at the sole discretion of the Sponsor.

All Prizes will be awarded in the name of a Student Team to their Adult Representative who will be responsible for fulfilling all requirements imposed on Winning Teams set forth herein.

WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, SUCH PRIZES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND CHALLENGE ENTITIES HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL SUCH WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

In the event the members of the Winning Teams engages in behavior that, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, is obnoxious or threatening, illegal or that is intended to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other person, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate the Student Team’s participation in the Program with no further compensation. Prize restrictions/conditions stated herein are not all-inclusive and the Prize described above may be subject to additional restrictions/conditions. The Prize will be awarded provided it is validly claimed no later than May 12, 2025, after which no alternate winner will be selected, nor unclaimed prize awarded.

The Prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion or offer. Prize elements may not be separated. In the event any portion of the Prize cannot be awarded as stated, that portion of the Prize will go unawarded.

8. General Prize Terms: The Sponsor shall have no responsibility or obligation to the Winners or potential Winners who are unable to accept or utilize the prizes as described herein.

By entering the Challenge, Student Team and their Adult Representative irrevocably agree to allow the Challenge Entities to reference their names, all Challenge Submissions, and other materials submitted as part of the Challenge or via the Challenge Website and to use Student Team’s name, image, likeness, and recordings associated with the Challenge in all media anywhere throughout the world in perpetuity, without additional permission or compensation unless prohibited by law.

Each Student Team, by entering the Challenge, agrees, to irrevocably assign to Sponsor all worldwide rights, titles and interests to Student Team’s Challenge Submission(s) including intellectual property rights and moral rights, including by way of example but not limitation, all copyright rights and trademark rights, on an exclusive basis, such exclusive basis to also exclude Student Team and their parent or legal guardian from exercising any rights or interest over the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding the above or any other provision herein: (i) inventorship of any patentable discovery or invention conceived and/or reduced to practice in connection with the creation of a Challenge Submission (“Invention”) shall be determined by U.S. patent law; (ii) ownership of any Invention shall be determined by inventorship; and (iii) Student Team and/or their Adult Representative will retain all rights he/she/they may have in or to any such Invention as an inventor.

By submitting to the Challenge, each Student Team warrants and represents that the Challenge Submission: (i) is the Student Team’s original work; (ii) does not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity, or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity; (iii) that Student Team has obtained permission from any person whose name, likeness, or voice is used in any Challenge Submission; (iv) that publication of the Challenge Submission via various media, including Web posting, will not infringe on the rights of any third party rights; and (v) that all rights, licenses and permissions have been obtained in writing from any person who may have helped with or participated in the creation of the Challenge Submission (or from parent or legal guardian of such person, if the person is considered under the age of majority in their country of residence). Each Student Team will indemnify and hold harmless Challenge Entities and each of their officers, directors, and employees from any claims to the contrary. Each Student Team whose work includes likenesses of third parties or contains elements not owned by any Student Team (such as, but not limited to, depictions of persons, buildings, trademarks, or logos) must be able to provide legal releases for such use including the Sponsor’ use of such materials, in a form satisfactory to the Sponsor, upon request, prior to award of Prize, and/or naming of Student Team as a Winner.

By submitting to the Challenge, each Student Team agrees that such Submission are gratuitous and made without restriction, and will not place Sponsor under any obligation, and that Sponsor is free to disclose or otherwise disclose the ideas contained in the Challenge Submission on a non-confidential basis to anyone or otherwise use the ideas without any additional compensation. Each Student Team acknowledges that, by acceptance of such submission, Sponsor does not waive any rights to use similar or related ideas previously known to said entity, or developed by its employees or obtained from sources other than Student team.

9. Acceptance and Removal: The Sponsor reserves the right, at their sole discretion, to disqualify Student Teams who violate any of the Rules or who may make any misrepresentations relative to this Challenge. They also reserve the rights to cancel, modify or terminate the Challenge.

10. General Indemnification: By participating in this Challenge, Student Teams agree to release, discharge and hold harmless the Challenge Entities, their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies, agents and their employees, officers, directors and representatives (collectively the “Released Parties”) from any liability, claims, losses and damages arising out of or relating to Student Team’s (or their Adult Representative’s): (i) participation in this Challenge or any Challenge-related activities; or (ii) use, misuse, or claiming of any Prize in connection with this Challenge.

11. Waiver of Requirements: The Sponsor may, at their sole discretion, elect to waive or relax specific requirements if the basic objectives of the Challenge are found to have been satisfied.

12. Adult Representative(s): As the Adult Representative of Student Team, you agree to indemnify the Released Parties for and against: (i) any claims made by you or your family against the Sponsor in connection with the Challenge or the Prizes awarded herein; and (ii) any losses (including any liability) caused by you and/or Student Team’s conduct.

13. Choice of Law: The Challenge is governed by United States law and is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Except where prohibited by law, any and all legal actions or claims arising in connection with this Challenge must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the State of California.

14. General Terms:
ANY VIOLATION OF THESE RULES OR BEHAVIOR BY A STUDENT TEAM OR WINNER THAT WILL BRING SUCH STUDENT TEAM, OR WINNER INTO A DISPUTE (IN THE SPONSOR’S SOLE DISCRETION) WILL RESULT IN THEIR DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE CHALLENGE OR AS A PRIZE WINNER AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS A PRIZE WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED. INCOMPLETE, UNREADABLE, OR UNINTELLIGIBLE SUBMISSIONS (INCLUDING ENTRY INFORMATION AND/OR PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN CONSENT) WILL BE DISQUALIFIED AND NOT CONSIDERED. ENTRIES WILL NOT BE RETURNED.

The Sponsor assumes no responsibility for incorrect or inaccurate information regarding the Challenge or Registration, or any late, lost or misdirected entries, whether caused by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Challenge or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the registration in this Challenge.

ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CHALLENGE IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE CHALLENGE ENTITIES RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. THE CALIFORNIA COURTS (STATE AND FEDERAL) SHALL HAVE SOLE JURISDICTION OF ANY CONTROVERSIES REGARDING THE CHALLENGE AND THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA SHALL GOVERN THE CHALLENGE WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES. EACH STUDENT TEAM AND THEIR PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS WAIVE ANY AND ALL OBJECTIONS TO JURISDICTION AND VENUE IN THESE COURTS AND HEREBY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS.

All disputes arising out of, related to, or in connection with this Challenge (excluding any disputes arising out of, related to, or in connection with use or enjoyment of any elements of the Prize by Winners) will be resolved individually, without resort to class action, and finally settled under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce by three (3) arbitrators appointed as follows: each party shall select an arbitrator, and such arbitrators will select a third; provided, however, that in all events at least two (2) out of the three (3) arbitrators must be active members of the bar of a U.S. State. The arbitration will be conducted in English in the State of California. If any provision(s) of these Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable, all remaining provisions hereof will remain in full force and effect.

15. Privacy Policies and Data Collections: Information provided by the Student Team for this Challenge during Registration, including the Challenge Submission, is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy located at https://www.redlobsterblueocean.com/privacy. By entering this Challenge, each Student Team agrees that the Sponsor has the right to contact the Student Team’s Adult Representative by the contact information provided during registration to administer and fulfill this Challenge.

16. Sponsor:
Red Lobster
450 South Orange Ave
Orlando, FL 32801
800-562-7837
Email: info@redlobster.com