By An interesting story brewed over this past weekend, with one group of Android and KitKat-loving customers apparently getting the shaft in a contest that they believed could net them a 2013 Nexus 7. We’re talking about our friends in India, who were treated to the same Nexus 7 contest that folks in the likes of the United States, Canada and across Europe were.
Unfortunately, it appears the contests weren’t as similar as we originally thought. Despite KitKat India advertising a chance to win “the all new Nexus 7 tablet,” complete with photos of the 2013 Nexus 7 all over the promotional images, folks were miffed to find out that KitKat India sent out the 2012 version of the tablet to those who ended up winning. The images you see above and below definitely seem to suggest they were supposed to receive the latest revision.
Many folks have expressed their distaste on Twitter, and KitKat India responded with the following explanation:
We hear you’re unhappy. Winners got the Nexus7 tabs available in India in Sept (contest date). The new version launched only in Nov.
— Kit Kat India (@KitKatIndia) December 7, 2013
KitKat India has not yet followed that Tweet with any other communication. While KitKat never specifically referenced the 2013 Nexus 7 in their official contest language, it’s misleading to use images of one device and deliver another.
This type of bait and switch is something to be frowned upon, and we sincerely hope that this is just one huge misunderstanding on the part of KitKat India. Some folks spent hundreds trying to win, so to be given a year-old tablet that they could have bought for much less than they spent on this contest is surely one disrespectful slap in the face.
We’ll be sending a line in to the corporate team over at KitKat to see if they can help shed some light on what happened. In the meantime, be sure to respond below if you were one of the thousand or so Indians to have received a 2012 Nexus 7 after being led to believe otherwise.
[via ComboUpdates, Tech 2 Yantra, thanks Patanjali!]
This has the makings for a GREAT South Park episode.
Thank You Phandroid for reporting this. I would like to share another pic, which clarify that Kit Kat India clearly specified the new Nexus 7 Tablets to be used by the first 1000 in India. Its not about the version of the tablet, its just about giving the participants and winners what they were promised in ads, promos.
I’m sorry but even looking at this image indicates a clear region around ‘first 1000 in India to’ & ‘all new nexus 7 tablet’ which makes it looked ‘shopped.
You might have a valid argument with the uses of images misleading, but don’t go throwing fake images around cause it does more damage than good.
Again these might not be tampered with at all and if they’re not I apologise. Either way you were certainly mislead and I hope you get what you deserve!
SORRY Gahh…no image is FAKE…all are from Kitkat Nestle facebook pages and kitkat official page http://www.kitkat.in CHECK THEM OUT
the region has been marked to indicate what we are stressing and the compression on the jpeg doesn’t help. Here is what we are talking about. Surely this aint photoshopped. http://web.archive.org/web/20131031011323/http://www.kitkat.in/winner.aspx
http://web.archive.org/web/20131031011323/http://www.kitkat.in/winner.aspx
Hi, this is patanjali here.
Thanks a lot for supporting us :)
I really hope they’ll get this figured out. It sucks being a victim of scam.
On the other side, I personally never take parts in contests like this. They are just mathematically improbable, and I proved to have no luck in things like these whatsoever.
P.S.: Where is that Blueballs_someone now, who argued with me about cultural backgrounds.
Thank You Phandroid for bringing this out ! THIS ANGER has been building since last week. SEE THIS EVIDENCES: http://goo.gl/gEkl6Q http://goo.gl/WkHKcW
If you REALLY read it though NO WHERE do they actually say a “New 2013 Nexus 7″…..all it says is “New Nexus 7” which as long as the units are not refurbs then a 2012 Nexus 7 NEW is a “New Nexis 7”. Still sucks cause it is a total bait & switch but I doubt any of these Indians that go the 2012 model will be sending it back in exchange for a new 2013…not gonna happen peeps. It’s too bad too cause I just bought myself the 2013 Nexus 7 and it kicks ASS!!!
@david: u must note above images, they said clearly: “first 1000 in India…” to get “the all new exclusive Nexus 7 tablet”…..that is enuf proof that the prize shud be the all new NEXUS 7 (2013) !
I cannot disagree with you there my friend. I’m actually replying to you on my NEW Nexus 7 tablet and I agree you should have the same thing.
By the way you type you need a dictionary not a tablet.
Your poor punctuation shows that you should retake an English class.
causal racism. Cool dude!
Lmao you’re an idiot. Nothing I said was racist. English is a language. Whatever race that person is chose to type it improperly while trying to talk shit to someone else. So I pointed out they aren’t perfect either. I don’t care if they’re black, brown, white, purple or fucking green. Punctuation is punctuation. The true racists are the ones that are quick to accuse others of it.
Also, how do you know I’m not of the same race as the person I was replying to? You don’t. So fuck off.
Or perhaps ‘take’ one to start with.
causal racism. Cool dude
Don’t you have bigger problems in life than this? Does is say 2013 model? does it say a specific model number? Nope. Deal with it. Life isn’t fair. Grow up.
while no specific model was mentioned, they showed only images of the 2013 versions with text stating it was “this” tablet, and other countries where this contest was held did give out 2013 models.
You can say this because it did not happen to you.
You guys are tripping. A picture is worth a thousand words, and US law says the same thing. Don’t know about India, but this would be clear misrepresentation in the States. If you bother to put a picture of what you are selling/giving for a prize, it’d better be the right picture.
well…
>.<
lol
Hey, at least those stinky fucks won something. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
shame on you. Indians are some of the smartest, hardest working people on the planet.
Sundar Pichai and Vivek “Vic” Gundotra are both Indians. you guys should reach out to them over G+ and politely yet firmly ask them to make it right. good luck.
someone should teach them to both shower and to where deodorant. smelly bastards.
someone should teach you how to spell “wear” lol, Dimwit! ;-)
“Someone should teach them both how to shower and wear deodorant.” **
You’re not perfect either.
Oh no the free thing I got was not as good as the free thing I think I’m entitled to :(
This definitely sucks for those who won but I am almost certain that there is something in the fine print that gives them the right to substitute prizes for whatever reason which would remove them from being liable in any way.
sure. of course there is “Terms and Conditions” fine print. but just because you CAN screw people over doesn’t mean that you SHOULD screw people over. bad karma.
sure. of course there is “Terms and Conditions” fine print. but just because you CAN screw people over doesn’t mean that you SHOULD screw people over. bad karma.
Do you really think they care? They’re rich. You’re not. Millions of other people will keep making them rich. Karma doesn’t seem to affect the wealthy.
It’s still not right.
Can we please have justice for these poor souls who received a FREE nexus 7 tablet. Oh god, why do bad things happen to good people? Gimme an F***ing break.
So you must be a “let companies do whatever they want(lie, defraud, crash economies) kinda guy. While also telling the misled public to go suck on a lemon. There’s justice for ya’.
Yeah George, if the picture on the package was a BMW and they sent you a Ford Focus, I bet YOU’D be pissed.
I’m more distraught that the contest is seemingly over and I still have unwrapped KitKats with codes…
I suspect no codes are absolute winners… but when you enter a code into the website, you have your random chance drawn.. and at that time, then, you become a random lucky winner or not.. but not predetermined.
“Some folks spent hundreds trying to win”. That just shows that some folks are stupid.
I’m sure he meant hundreds of rupees.
I seriously doubt that. You can barely buy a pack of kitkat with a 100 rupee.
A 2F kitkat costs Rs10 and a 4F one costs Rs20, so yeah, one can spend hundreds trying to win the nexus 7 :-P
Damn kitkats are cheap at where you live.
I feel cheated that here in Chicago I never found 1 KitKat that was part of this contest.
Come to think of it, I’m not sure I saw any in Canton either…lol
Never seen one here in Ohio either.
Bought 4 or 5 up here in Canada for myself :)
Free is free. Are we really crying over a year old version? I’d say just be glad you won anything.
Friend, all winners are happy with the Nexus 7 they are giving, BUT such discrimination shown towards INDIANs and a deliberate misleading campaign is what irks the fans of android and kitkat !
CLICK HERE FOR EVIDENCE
Let’s not make it about discrimination. I support you guys, but this is decision was taken by Nestle India, most likely run by Indians itself. They saw an opportunity to cut costs as well as possibly avoid hassle of importing the new Nexus 7s in the cases where the devices were given away before the tablet released in India (you know how painful customs here can be).
The winners all deserved the new Nexus 7, no doubt. Let’s just avoid bringing in nationality into issues every time.
Its not fully free. In India the contest required to purchase kitkat, send code through sms and for the winner deliver details through courier. Considering the overall cost its not much but still misleading ad.
The prize is “free.” Not the competition. Most competitions like this have you do SOMETHING that costs you money down the line. (Phone bill, internet bill, gas, etc). Nothing in this world is truly free.
(iii) Nestle reserves the right to terminate, modify or extend the Program, at any
time at its absolute discretion, without assigning any reason whatsoever. All decisions
of Nestle in respect of the Program and the prizes therein shall be final and binding.
bad news for the people who got an old nexus from this, Nestle covered themselves.
it is a bit unfair though that 1 country got older models while everyone else had a chance of winning the newer model.
i’m one of the lucky ones that got a 2013 nexus 7 from the same contest in the Netherlands.
the best €1,70 i’ve ever spent.
Look at the T&C
(vi) The Pictures of the prizes depicted on the press ads/posters/TVC’c/pack
shots etc. are only representative and the actual prize may vary from the depiction.
So these guys were not cheated. They forgot to completely read T&C.
A T&C won’t hold in court if the accused is intentionally misleading the customers.
I’ve won and got an sms that my tab will shipped on 4th Dec till now no more communication to me. I can only see my name in their website as winner.
Same problem.
You got the SMS ? Then probably the’ll ship in some time.
People are sick, just because you didn’t receive a free Nexus 7, doesn’t mean you have to bully Indian people. They deserve their 2013 nexus 7 just like everybody else. I’d love to see one of you ‘smart people’ get a lollipop instead of the actual prize, you won’t be talking much about T&Cs would you?
“Some folks spent hundreds trying to win, so to be given a year-old tablet that they could have bought for much less than they spent on this contest is surely one disrespectful slap in the face.”
Reference? That sounds like bullshit to me. Who are these “some folks?” How do you know that these “some folks” did, in fact, “spend hundreds?”
Of course, it’s also bullshit that KK didn’t give them the right tablet and I’m glad that its being reported across hundreds of Web sites, but the facts are good enough. No need to turn what should be news into an editorial full of crap, which is what this is.
Check Nestle India twitter account. People have littererally done that and tweeted to Nestle.
I’m glad you approach the article with skepticism, but it’s unreasonable for you to expect every single statement to be explicitly sourced unless you’re reading a research journal. No need to turn what should be a constructive comment into a flaming accusation of “bullshit”.