Before participating in L'ORÉAL Brandstorm, you should read the Official Rules in their entirety. By registering, you unconditionally agree to all of the terms and conditions of these Official Rules. Furthermore, you accept any and all of L'ORÉAL’s decisions with regards to L'ORÉAL Brandstorm as final and binding in all respects.

L'ORÉAL Brandstorm (hereafter the "Game") is an international game organized by L'ORÉAL SA (hereafter "L'ORÉAL”), a corporation with a capital of 135,212,432 Euros, registered with the Paris Company Trade Register under the number 632 012 100 with its headquarters located at 14, rue Royale, 75008 Paris.
The aim of the Game is to offer the students a pedagogical and professional experience and the opportunity to take the role of an International Brand Manager within the beauty products industry. This project is a part of the L'ORÉAL Human Resources communication strategy and aims to enhance students' creativity and perception of the L'ORÉAL business. No participation fee or purchase is required.

Only students attending one of the participating universities and/or schools in a participating country can participate in the Game. L’Oréal Brandstorm is a game for Undergraduate students. Undergraduate students eligible to participate must be in the final 2 years of their studies. They should not yet have acquired considerable professional experience (except for internships, apprenticeships and summer job experiences). Undergraduate students and students attending a master (not an MBA) can participate.

Students have to register in teams of 3 players. Members of a team must all be enrolled at the same school or university (students participating in an international exchange programme, e.g. Erasmus can participate for the host university). The students can register as teams or be grouped into teams by the local HR Manager or Professors. Students are only allowed to register under one team.

Students attending an MBA or a Doctorate programme cannot participate.

Any under-age student must have the consent of his or her parent or legal guardian to accept the Official Rules and participate in L'Oréal Brandstorm.

All members of the teams must have a valid e-mail address.

L'ORÉAL reserves the right to check the validity of the registration information submitted by students at any stage during the Game and to ask for copies of ID documents and/or student cards from the school or university cited by the student. L'ORÉAL also reserves the right to refuse participation, or to disqualify, at any time during the Game, students (and their teams) who have submitted incorrect or misleading information. Teams will have no recourse against disqualification decisions.

Once a team has been registered, no modification in its composition will be allowed after the Briefing Days.

In the event that the number of players in a Team is reduced to less than 3 members, the Team shall be disqualified. However, L’Oréal reserves the right, not to disqualify teams in which a team member had a legitimate reason to leave their teams, as long as there are at least 2 team members continuing the game. The reasons considered as legitimate by L’Oréal are the following: pregnancy, accidents or hospitalization.

a - The schedule

The start date of the Game will vary from country to country and will be set by the local Human Resources Manager of the L'ORÉAL affiliate located in the participating country (hereafter "the local HR Manager").

The calendar for the Game will be adapted to the local university system (exam periods, holidays, etc.). It will therefore be defined by the local HR Manager. The calendar for the International Finals will be defined by the L'ORÉAL Corporate Strategic Recruitment Department.

Nevertheless, in order to be coherent and fair, there will be a minimum of:

4 weeks between the Briefing Days and the National Finals

a minimum of 2 weeks between the National Finals and the International

the whole period during which students work on the case study should be for a maximum of 6 months.

b - Steps of the Game

The Game process will consist of 4 stages:

Step 1 : Registration

Step 2 : Project development

Step 3 : National Finals

Step 4 : International Final

Step 1: Registration

To register students should log on to the web site www.brandstorm.loreal.com.

Depending on the local educational system as well as on the way the Game is played in a country, eligibility to participate in the game may depend on the students' successful participation in a pre-selection process.

The information on the registration process will be communicated to the participating schools and/or universities at least 15 days before the start of the registration period.

Step 2: Project development

The case study

Each team should consider their home country as a pilot market for a future launch to be exported at an international level.
The Case Study will be posted on L’Oréal Brandstorm web site; students can use the international information provided on the web site and supplement it with local market information received during the Briefing Day.

The Case Study is defined by the L'ORÉAL Corporate Strategic Recruitment Department in collaboration with L'ORÉAL's International Marketing Managers for the concerned brand(s).

Briefing days

After registration, the selected teams can be invited to the local L'ORÉAL headquarter or another venue for 1 or 2 days of extended briefing on the brand(s) selected as the topic of the Case Study. Students will meet the top management of the concerned brand. During the Briefing day students will discover in depth the reality of the local market distribution.

Participation in the Briefing days will be subject to the individual signature by the participants on the Official Rules and on the appropriate local documentation relating to the assignment of intellectual property and image rights, if any. The local HR Manager is responsible for organizing such signatures.

Work with the agencies

- communication agency
- packaging design agency

The local HR Manager must work with the communication agency chosen by the corporate team in order to develop the communication campaign. A local design agency of his/her choice can be used to assist the students during the realization of their packaging design projects.

The students cannot decide to work with a different agency than the one chosen by L'ORÉAL

- communication agency

The communication agency will develop:

For the National Finals
One layout of the communication advertisement displayed on a maximum of 3 boards.

For the International Finals
A maximum of 3 good quality boards for each communication advertisement visual.

- packaging design agency

The packaging design agency will develop:

For the National Finals :
a maximum of 5 different product types and shapes displayed on a maximum of 5 with 2D images.

For the International Finals
a maximum of 3 mock-up dummies and/or
a maximum of 3 boards for the proposed products types and shapes, displaying the products in 3D images.

Material developed for the national final can be displayed during the international final.

Both for the National and International Finals all materials other than that stated above (videos, posters, distribution layouts, point of sale materials, moodboards, etc…) must be produced by the teams themselves without the help of L'ORÉAL and the communication/design agency in question.

Step 3: National Finals

Each country will organize a National Finals where the teams will present their concepts to a National Jury.

Each team's presentation during the National Finals is limited to a maximum of 20 minutes (full presentation).

All presentations must be prepared. Additional elements like music, videos, animations, etc, must be inserted into the Power Point presentation.

The National Jury will select the winning team. It may also decide to select runners-up.

Coaching for the national winning team before the International Finals

In order to allow the students to optimize their presentation for the International Finals, the HR Manager will arrange a meeting between the national winning team and the Marketing Director/Group Manager of the concerned brand (1 hour maximum).

During the meeting the operational managers can advise the students on the structure and the quality of the presentation. However, no change is allowed on the selected strategy, the product concept and the creativity between the National and International Finals.

Step 4: International Finals

Presentation during the International Finals must be made in English.

The presentations (full and short presentations) for the International Finals must be at the disposal of the Corporate L’Oréal Brandstorm team at the latest 14 days before the International Finals, any delay will lead to disqualification.

Participation in the International Finals will be subject to the individual signature by the participants on documentation relating to the assignment of intellectual property rights and images, if any.

L'ORÉAL and/or its affiliate cannot in any way be held responsible should the National winning team and/or any of its team member be unable to travel to France to participate in the International Finals.

The International Finals is divided into two parts :

International Semi-finals

Each national winning team will make their full presentation, limited to a maximum of 25 minutes (25mins presentation time + 5mins question time), to one of the juries. Each jury will judge teams drawn from the different regions (Europe, Asia, America, Africa…) to ensure an international representation in each pool. They will select the winning team from their pool.

The teams ranked n°1 by each jury will qualify for the International Finals.

International Finals

The selected teams will present a short presentation, limited to a maximum of 15 minutes (10mins presentation time + 5mins question time), to an Executive Jury, made up of L'ORÉAL Senior Executives and/or external personalities.

If, for any reason, the team ranked n°1 in the International Semi-Finals or Finals should be disqualified, the team with the next best score will be selected.

Best Communication Campaign Challenge

An international communication agency will be present during the International Finals and will nominated the Best communication campaign.

The agency will choose amongst all the international finalists the team it considers has presented the best communication campaign. The agency will judge the teams on the basis of the following criteria: creativity, innovation, originality of the proposed communication campaign.

The judging criteria will be established beforehand by the L'ORÉAL Corporate Strategic Recruitment Department. General judging criteria are :

1. Creativity / Originality and risk of the creative proposition: 45%
2. Consistency in the analysis: 20%
3. Coherence with the brand values: 15%
4. Style /Quality of the Presentation and team spirit: 20%

The elected judging criteria may vary from year to year. The judging criteria elected for each year of the Game will be placed in the custody of the elected Huissier de justice.

Each criteria will be weighed according to the specific challenges of each Case Study as in the table attached. The results of both the National and International Finals will be based on these criteria.

The following prizes will be awarded, according to definitive team ranking:

National Finals

The local HR Manager will decide on the type, number and value of prizes. The national winning team will be invited to attend the International Finals in Paris. The travelling expenses and the hotel accommodation will be covered by the local HR Manager.
International Finals

The first prize will be awarded to the winning team. It will consist of a maximum contribution of € 10,000 for the team (tax not included, at the exchange rate applicable at the date of payment) towards a trip. Such a trip will be organized by the winning team.

The second prize will be for the team that is ranked 2nd. It will consist of a maximum contribution of € 5,000 for the team (tax not included, at the exchange rate applicable at the date of payment) towards a trip. Such a trip will be organized by the team members.

The third prize awarded to the team that is ranked 3rd will consist of a maximum contribution of € 2,500 for the team (tax not included, at the exchange rate applicable at the date of payment) towards a trip. Such a trip will be organized by the team members.

The 3 winning teams should bring back photos from their trip, which will be posted on L’OREAL Brandstorm Internet site.

The University of the Winning Team will keep the L’Oréal Brandstorm Cup for one year.

In case of a draw, the winning team will be the team who will have scored the highest points under the Creativity criteria. In case of equal number of points, the winning team will be the team who will have scored the highest points under the Analysis criteria. In case of equal number of points, there will be 2 winning teams.

All prizes awarded during the Game must be used by the winners within 1 year as of the National or International Finals, when the prizes are announced. Upon expiry of the 1-year period, the prizes will no longer be usable and the teams and/or team member cannot in any way claim compensation in cash and/or in kind should they not have used the prize in the aforementioned time period. Should the prize consist of a trip, all members of a winning team must travel together, except in case of force majeure, prohibiting a team member from participating in the trip.

Prizes cannot be exchanged nor will cash alternatives be offered. L'ORÉAL reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal value in the event of prize unavailability.

Each team and/or team member will be wholly responsible for the payment of any tax, contribution or amount of any kind due in respect of the award of a prize under the Game.

The Best Communication Campaign: The agency will award a certificate for the Best Communication campaign.

When completing the official registration forms, the teams will be asked to accept the Official Rules. Failure to accept the Official Rules will prohibit the completion of the official registration forms. Acceptance by the team member having personally completed the official registration form on behalf of the team, will be deemed to constitute acceptance by the other members of the team. Participation in the Game is subject to each team's online acceptance of the present L’Oréal Brandstorm Official Rules and the signature of the appropriate local documentation relating to the assignment of intellectual property and images rights, if any.

L'ORÉAL will not share the registration information submitted by the potential teams and team members with any third party and will only use this data internally. Teams and team members have the right to consult and verify their personal information.

At any stage of the Game players can be recruited for an internship in a Division of the L’OREAL Group (Consumer Products, Luxury Products, Professional Products, Active Cosmetics) which does not deal with the brand focused on by L’Oréal Brandstorm for that year.

At any time during the Game, players cannot be employees, trainees and/or interns of the teams of L'ORÉAL or of any of its affiliates assigned to the brand(s) which is/are the basis of the Case Study and/or employees, trainees and/or interns of the associated communication/design agency's teams assigned to the brand(s) which are the basis of the Case Study during the same aforementioned period.

Students who did an internship in the Department of the brand concerned by the case study during the 2 years preceding the Game cannot participate in the current edition.

Participation in the Game cannot in any way be deemed to give rise to any contractual relations with L'ORÉAL SA or any of its affiliates and in particular any employment rights.

The local HR Manager is responsible for the organization of the Game up to and including the National Finals. He/she will be the direct contact person and information provider for the students and/or the teams.

The students cannot have any contact whether directly or indirectly with operational managers of L'ORÉAL and/or its affiliates who are assigned to the brand(s) which is (are) the basis for the Case Study from the end of the briefing session and up to and including the National and/or International Finals. Such contact will lead to team disqualification (with the exception of the meeting previewed for the national winning team after the National Finals, see article 7 step 3).

The operational management will be represented on the jury of the National Finals.

Students and/or teams are prohibited from any direct and/or indirect contact with the media, except if authorized by the local HR Manager or the L'ORÉAL Corporate Strategic Recruitment Department.

The support of professors and/or university staff and/or school must be limited to general information relating to Marketing (Marketing Theory) and must not relate to the Case Study itself. Unauthorized or excessive assistance will lead to team disqualification. Professors or university and/or school staff can be represented on the jury for the National Finals and/or for the International Finals.

L'ORÉAL may, at its sole discretion, disqualify a team and/or any of the team members from participating if the team or any of the team members shows a disregard for these Official Rules, or acts in any unsporting or disruptive manner. L'ORÉAL may exclude any team and/or any of the team members if the team or any of the team members intends to damage any L'ORÉAL Brandstorm material or information. L'ORÉAL has the right to prosecute any team and/or a any of the team members if the team and/or any of the team members tries to destroy, disrupt, damage or alter the proceedings of the Game.

In the course of participating in the Game, the team members will have access to information and know-how of all kinds, in particular commercial, financial, scientific, industrial or marketing, concerning the activities, operations and studies of L'Oréal, of one or more other companies of the L'Oréal Group or of one or more companies with whom they have or have had relations or in which they have an interest. The team members will also have access to information concerning natural persons who are members of the companies referred above (together hereinafter the "Information"). The team members must take the necessary measures to keep the Information strictly confidential, with the exception of Information which is already in the public domain.

The team members acknowledge that disclosure of the Information would cause the L'Oréal Group considerable damage allowing the local L'Oréal affiliate or L'Oréal to engage their liability. The confidentiality obligation will survive the termination of the Game, for whatever reason, until such time as the object of such obligation ceases to exist.

The Game is organized by the L'ORÉAL Corporate Strategic Recruitment Department and is exclusively designed for an exchange with the student world. Any likeness and/or similarity between the projects presented by the students and any development of L'ORÉAL products would be fortuitous. As the projects are built from L'ORÉAL brief and ideas, and as similar development may be currently under progress, all concepts communicated by teams and team member during the Game cannot be considered as being able to give rise to any concrete development. In the event where the items submitted to L'ORÉAL by candidates for L’Oréal Brandstorm in the context of their participation in the Game give rise to any intellectual property rights, the candidates will assign to L'ORÉAL, which accepts, all rights of reproduction, representation, adaptation or translation attached to the items (designs, slogans, models etc.), on all support media including those which are unknown on the date of the Game, for all purposes (including commercial, promotional and advertising) for the legal duration of the intellectual property right, with effect world-wide effect, without any limitation on number.

The assignment of rights is granted and accepted without payment of any gratuities being due.

By registering, the participants agree to grant to L'ORÉAL the right to use and publish his or her name, portrait, picture for advertising and promotional purposes without additional consideration, world-wide and on the World Wide Web without limitation of time. L'ORÉAL may also publish in any media any results of L'ORÉAL Brandstorm for a reasonable duration.

Any disputes, questions and/or claims relating to the Game up to and including the National Finals must be received at the latest within 15 days of the date at which the winning team of the National Finals has been announced.

Any disputes, questions and/or claims relating to the Game up to and including the International Finals, must be received at the latest within 15 days of the date at which the winning team of the International Final has been announced.

The dispute, questions and/or claims must be sent in English or French to L’Oréal Brandtsorm International Coordinator by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt at the following address: Corporate Strategic Recruitment Department - L'ORÉAL - 41, rue Martre - 92117 Clichy CEDEX, France.

Upon receipt, the L’Oréal Brandstorm Committee will meet and a reply will be sent within 1 month of receipt. The committee will be made up of a member of the concerned National/International Jury, L’Oréal Brandstorm International Coordinator, and a member of the Office of the General Counsel for Human Resources. Any decision of the Committee shall be binding and final and no player shall have any further right to recourse or to appeal.

These rules are governed by French law and all disputes arising from the Game will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent French Court.

The original rules of this Game, in the custody of Maître Wapler, will be the sole valid set of rules.

The Official Rules of the Game will be placed in the custody of Maître Wapler both in French and in English. In case of dispute regarding the Official Rules of the Game, the French version will prevail.

L'ORÉAL reserves the right to shorten, modify, or cancel the Game, without the teams and/or team member being able to claim compensation thereof.

L'ORÉAL Brandstorm, its concepts, content, look-and-feel, logo and all other graphic elements and organization are and will remain the sole property of L'ORÉAL.

L'ORÉAL is not responsible for errors in the entries of teams and team members, malfunction of the website, incorrect e-mail addresses, or connection problems related to the Game.

Teams will not be reimbursed for materials or resources used in the preparation of their presentation, for expenses related to trips to L'ORÉAL (for Briefing Days and the National Finals) or to the associated communication agency.