Weather Icon Design Contest

The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) sincerely invites Hong Kong residents to participate in a weather icon design contest organized by HKO. Winning designs may be used in the HKO Internet website.

Objective
The contest is to solicit new weather icon designs for incorporation in the websites managed by the HKO. Some of the existing weather icons for describing relatively abstract weather information (e.g. HOT, COLD etc.) had employed words to help express the meaning. The ideal approach is to use graphics alone and they should be recognizable at first sight. Examples of the weather icons can be found at:

http://www.weather.gov.hk/tc/textonly/explain/cartoon.htm (Chinese)
http://www.weather.gov.hk/en/textonly/explain/cartoon.htm (English)
http://www.weather.gov.hk/tc/textonly/explain/wxicon.htm (Chinese)
http://www.weather.gov.hk/en/textonly/explain/wxicon.htm (English)
http://www.weather.gov.hk/tc/wxinfo/worldwx/wx_symbol.htm

Eligibility requirement
The "contestant" must be a Hong Kong Permanent Resident

Content of the contest
There are 3 sets of weather icons (each set consists of 3 icons) to be contested. They are as follows:

Set 1:   Hot, Cold, Becoming Cool
Set 2:   Fog, Mist, Haze
Set 3:   Humid, Dry, Windy

1. All contestants must agree to be bound by the Competition Rules. Every person who submits any design in the contest automatically becomes a "contestant", and agrees to be bound by the Competition Rules.

2. A "contestant" must be an individual person, not a company.

3. A "contestant" must submit at least 1 set of weather icons, at most 2 sets.

4. HKO staff and their immediate families are not eligible to compete.

5. Each "contestant" must warrant that he or she is the creator of the submitted design product and he or she is the sole owner of the intellectual property concerned.

6. Each "contestant" agrees that if his or her designs are awarded in this contest, the Hong Kong Observatory has the right to use those designs in any web site managed by the HKO either directly or after modification. Moreover, the HKO also has the right to grant permission to weather services of other countries to use such designs.

7. Format of Entries
   • The designs must be in JPEG format with a resolution of 50x50 pixels.
   • There is no restriction on the use of colour.
   • Submission in hard copy is not acceptable.
   
   
8. Submission Method
   Designs for the contest should be sent as attached files in JPEG format via email to mailbox@hko.gov.hk together with a duly completed contest participation form supplying the contestant's personal details.
   (Download the contest participation form: Right click here and select "Save Link As")

9. Criteria for Selection of Winning Entries
   • Aesthetics and creativity.
   • Weather icon should maintain its appearance when presented in single colour in different shades of grey.
   • Recognition of the weather message at first sight.

10. Competition Deadline:
    5:00 p.m. on 25 March 2006 (based on the file reception time of the HKO computer system)

Notification of Competition Results
Winners will be notified by email, telephone or regular mail. Unsuccessful "contestant" will not be notified individually.

Prizes
There will be First, Second and Third prizes as well as five merit prizes for each set of weather icons, as follows:

Disclaimers

1. HKO does not assume responsibility for any loss or damage of the entries due to electronic transmission sent by email.
2. HKO assumes no obligation, responsibility or liability for any expenses incurred by the "contestant" as a result of participating in this contest.
3. HKO reserves the right to disqualify any entry without disclosing any reason(s).

For further queries related to "Weather Icon Design Contest", please contact Dr. Yeung King-kay, Senior Scientific Officer of the Hong Kong Observatory at 2926 8355 (email: kkyeung@hko.gov.hk).