ESSENCE FESTIVAL OF CULTURETM SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
1. Eligibility: The Essence Festival of CultureTM Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is open only to legal residents of 50 U.S. and D.C. (“Eligibility Area”) who are 18 years of age or older as of date of entry (“Entrant”). Each Entrant must also have a Coca‑Cola account (each an “Account”) at the time of Entry. Void outside the eligibility area and where prohibited by law. Employees of The Coca‑Cola Company (the “Sponsor”), Coca‑Cola bottlers, Don Jagoda Associates, Inc. (“Administrator”), Essence Ventures, LLC, and their respective subsidiaries, parent, divisions, franchisees, promotional partners, agencies, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies (collectively, the “Released Sweepstakes Parties”) as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members of each such employee, are not eligible to participate. This Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited by law. Participation constitutes participant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules.
2. Sweepstakes Period: The Sweepstakes begins at 9:00 am Eastern Time (“ET”) on April 7, 2025 and ends at 11:59 pm ET on May 31, 2025 (“Sweepstakes Period”).
3. How to Enter: There is NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to participate. A purchase does not increase your chances of winning. During the Sweepstakes Period, there will be Sweepstakes point of sale (“POS”) throughout the 50 U.S. and D.C. and specific POS in the following zip codes, as broken down here. During the Sweepstakes Period, scan the Quick Response (“QR”) code on Sweepstakes POS or navigate to the Sweepstakes page on the Coca‑Cola website and follow the links and instructions to log into or create a Coca‑Cola account (“Account”). There are two (2) markets, a national market and a local market (each a “Market”). The national Market consists of entrants residing in all of the 50 U.S. and D.C. and the local Market consists of entrants residing in the following zip codes, as broken down here. Click as indicated to enter the applicable Market’s random drawing (“Entry”). Limit one (1) Entry per person per day per Market. Any attempt by any Entrant to obtain more than the stated number of Entries by using multiple/different Accounts, email addresses, identities, registrations or logins, or any other methods will void that Entrant’s Entries and that Entrant may be disqualified from the Sweepstakes. Any use of robotic, repetitive, automatic, programmed or similar entry methods or agents (including, but not limited to, sweepstakes entry services) will void all Entries by that Entrant. In the event of a dispute as to any Entry, the authorized account holder of the email address used to sign up for the Account will be deemed to be the Entrant. The "authorized account holder" is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Potential winners may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holders.
4. Prizes/Approximate Retail Values (“ARV”): Grand Prize (2 total - 1 per Market): A 4-day/3-night trip to the Essence Festival of CultureTM in New Orleans, LA from July 4, 2025 to July 7, 2025 for winner and two (2) travel companions. Trip includes round trip economy air transportation for winner and two (2) travel companions from a major airport near winner’s home (determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion) to New Orleans, LA, three (3) nights hotel accommodations (standard room, triple occupancy) in a Sponsor-specified hotel for winner and two (2) travel companions, a $350 Sponsor-specified ground transportation gift card, $3,000 total awarded in the form of three (3) Sponsor-specified Virtual Prepaid cards to be used as follows: $1,000 for spending money or to offset taxes for the winner and $1,000 for spending money for each of the two (2) travel companions (although it is awarded to the Grand Prize winner who has the discretion to use it as they wish), and Sponsor-selected tickets to the Essence Festival of CultureTM for three (3) nights for winner and two (2) travel companions. Hotel accommodations do not include meals, incidentals, tips, telephone calls, souvenirs, or any other personal expenses incurred during the trip, not specified here. ARV $11,135 each. The total ARV of all of the Grand Prizes is $22,270. The Grand Prize winners are solely responsible for all taxes in connection with the prize, including without limitation federal, state and local taxes, and the reporting consequences thereof. The Grand Prize winners will be issued a 1099 tax form for the actual value of prize. Limit of one (1) prize per person/household.
The Grand Prizes must be used on dates specified or Grand Prize will be forfeited. If any Grand Prize winner is under twenty-one (21) years of age, they must be accompanied by at least one (1) adult travel companion who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older in order to check into the hotel. If a Grand Prize winner elects to partake in any or all portions of his/her Prize with no travel companions, the Prize will be awarded to Grand Prize winner only and the remainder of the prize (awarded for the travel companions only) will be forfeited and shall not be subject to further or alternative compensation. Airline carrier's regulations and conditions apply. Trips may not be combined with any other offer and travel may not qualify for frequent flyer miles. The Grand Prize winners and their respective travel companion(s) must travel together on the same itinerary. All travelers must have valid travel documents prior to departure (i.e., REAL ID, passport or other TSA-approved ID; visit www.tsa.gov for a list of TSA-approved IDs). Travel companions must complete a Release of Liability prior to departure. All travel companions must be 18 years of age or older. Failure to obtain required travel documents by Grand Prize winner and travel companion(s) may result in forfeiture of prize and alternate potential winner selection, by random drawing, time permitting, from among all remaining eligible Entries received for each Market. All other expenses and costs, not expressly listed above, including, but not limited to, taxes, insurance, telephone charges, room service and laundry services, personal expenses, gratuities, entertainment, transfers, incidental charges, or any other items not specifically described in these Official Rules, any transportation not mentioned within the above prize description and all expenses for any of the foregoing are the sole responsibility of the Grand Prize winners. If a prize becomes unavailable, Sponsor will substitute a prize of equal or greater retail value. No transfer, cash or other substitution of a prize is permitted except Sponsor may substitute prize in whole or in part for one of comparable or greater retail value for any reason. In the event a Grand Prize winner and/or travel companion(s) engages in behavior during travel that (as determined by Sponsor or Essence Ventures, LLC in their sole discretion) is obnoxious or threatening, dangerous, illegal, or that is intended to threaten or harass any other person, or that in any way disparages or adversely affects the reputation, image, and/or customer goodwill of Sponsor, Essence Ventures, LLC, or any of Sponsor or Essence Ventures, LLC’s services, products, trademarks, service marks, or logos, Sponsor and/or Essence Ventures, LLC reserves the right to terminate their travel early, eject them from the Essence Festival of CultureTM and send that Grand Prize winner and travel companion(s) home with no obligations or compensation to winner. In the event a Grand Prize winner or their travel companion(s) consume alcoholic beverages (none will be provided by Sponsor) while participating in any prize-related activities, they do so at their own discretion and agree to hold the Released Sweepstakes Parties harmless from any subsequent damages or third-party claims arising out of or related to such consumption. The Grand Prize winners and travel companion(s) must also follow any applicable COVID protocols or they may not be permitted to travel. Winners also agree that the Released Sweepstakes Parties or its agents may photograph and/or videotape any or all aspects of the festival (“footage”) and winners agree that Sponsor and/or Essence Ventures, LLC may use or edit that footage in any way they see fit.
5. Selection of Winners/Odds: There will be two (2) Grand Prize winners selected in total (1 per Market) in random drawings on or about June 1, 2025 from among all eligible Entries received for each Market during the Sweepstakes Period. Drawings will be conducted by the Administrator, an independent judging organization whose decisions are final and binding on all matters related to the Sweepstakes. The odds of winning a Grand Prize depend on the total number of eligible Entries received for each Market during the Sweepstakes Period.
6. Winner Notification: The potential Grand Prize winners will be required to sign and return a Declaration of Eligibility and Liability Release and except where prohibited, publicity release (“Declaration”) within three (3) days of notification in order to be confirmed as a Grand Prize winner. If a potential Grand Prize winner fails to return the completed Declaration within three (3) days, Declaration is returned as undeliverable, Entrant shall be deemed to be ineligible, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate potential winner will be selected, time permitting. Declarations will be sent via email. Return of prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and alternate selection. If an Entrant is disqualified for one of the reasons mentioned above and an alternate is selected, the alternate must complete and return the required documents in the timeframe specified. Up to three (3) alternates per prize may be selected, time permitting.
7. General Rules: By participating in the Sweepstakes, Entrant fully and unconditionally agrees to and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and Administrator, whose decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the Sweepstakes. Any normal Internet/phone access and data/usage charges imposed by Entrants’ online/phone service will apply and are Entrants’ sole responsibility. Sponsor is not responsible for any compatibility issues with Entrant's device/browser used for Entry. Entries become the property of Sponsor upon receipt and will not be acknowledged or returned. Entrants associated with potential winning Entries may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder of the email address assigned by an Internet access provider, online service provider, Internet service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Entries specifying an invalid, non-working, or inactive email address may be disqualified. No information regarding Entries, other than as otherwise set forth in these Official Rules or on the website, will be disclosed. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, interrupted or unavailable network server or other connection; miscommunications; failed phone or computer or telephone transmissions; technical failure; jumbled, scrambled or misdirected transmissions; late, lost, incomplete, delayed, or misdirected Entries; or other error of any kind whether human, mechanical, or electronic. CAUTION: Any attempt to deliberately damage any web site/device, or undermine the legitimate operations of the Sweepstakes, is a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such participant to the fullest extent permitted by law and to disqualify such Entrant from the Sweepstakes. In the event the Sweepstakes is compromised or impaired in any way for any reason, including but not limited to, fraud, virus, bug, unauthorized human intervention, outbreak of widespread illness, pandemic, or other similar occurrence, civil unrest or any other problem or other causes beyond the control of Sponsor that corrupts or impairs the administration, security, fairness, or proper play of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to suspend or terminate the Sweepstakes and select the Grand Prize winners from among all eligible Entries received for each Market prior to cancellation. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, corrupted, or incomplete Entries. Proof of submission is not proof of receipt by Sponsor. By participating in this Sweepstakes, Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor. The Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual that tampers or attempts to tamper with the Entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or website; violates these Official Rules; or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. By participation in the Sweepstakes, Entrants and Grand Prize winners release and hold harmless the Released Sweepstakes Parties from and against any and all liability, claims, or actions of any kind whatsoever for injuries and/or deaths, damages, or losses to persons or property which may be sustained in connection with submitting an Entry or otherwise participating in any aspect of the Sweepstakes, the receipt, ownership or use of any prize awarded, or while preparing for, participating in any prize-related activity or any typographical or other error in these Official Rules or the announcement or offering of any prize. THE RELEASED SWEEPSTAKES PARTIES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE IF PRIZES CANNOT BE AWARDED DUE TO CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS, OR INTERRUPTIONS DUE TO ACTS OF GOD, ACTS OF WAR, NATURAL DISASTERS, WEATHER, OR TERRORISM.
8. Publicity: Except where prohibited, participation in the Sweepstakes constitutes each winner’s consent to the Released Sweepstakes Parties and their agents’ use of winner’s name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions and/or hometown and footage for Sweepstakes, advertising, marketing, and promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further notice, payment or consideration.
9. Disputes: Entrant agrees that: (a) he/she releases and will defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Released Sweepstakes Parties from and all any and all Claims (“Claims”); (b) Claims arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes, or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and solely and exclusively in a federal or state court located in Atlanta, GA; (c) Entrant submits to sole and exclusive personal jurisdiction to said courts in the State of Georgia for any such dispute and irrevocably waives any and all rights to object to such jurisdiction; (d) any and all Claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual damages of no more than $100, including costs associated with entering this Sweepstakes, but in no event attorneys' fees; and (e) under no circumstances will Entrant be permitted to obtain awards for and Entrant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of Entrants or the Released Sweepstakes Parties in connection with this Sweepstakes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Georgia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules of provisions (whether of the State of Georgia, the United States, or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Georgia.
10. Privacy Policy: Information collected by Sponsor in connection with this Sweepstakes may be used by Sponsor and shared with third parties involved in administration of the Sweepstakes in accordance with the Sponsor’s online Privacy Policy posted here. The Entrant agrees to the collection, processing and storage of his/her personal data by Sponsor for the purposes of the Sweepstakes.
11. Winners List: For a list of winners, available after July 3, 2025, send an email here with WINNERS & 11-2775-67 as the subject line.
12. Sponsor/Administrator: Sponsor of the Sweepstakes is The Coca‑Cola Company, One Coca‑Cola Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30313. Administrator of the Sweepstakes is Don Jagoda Associates, Inc., 100 Marcus Drive, Melville, NY 11747.