Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest"

SKUDRUNNER
Lost Media Beginner

Posts: 12

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Oct 8, 2020 4:48:50 GMT nottoptext likes this

Quote

Post by SKUDRUNNER on Oct 8, 2020 4:48:50 GMT

Years ago, I was sitting around at my grandmother's house watching Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends on the TV, when Cartoon Network played an ad during a break informing the audience of a Contest offering the opportunity for a lucky fan to have their custom character used in the show (and maybe some other prizes, this was the old CN after all). I confidently remember this contest because I immediately jumped out of the seat and grabbed some paper from my Grandma's printer, and began crudely sketching characters. My Grandma got mad at me for "wasting all the paper", so I never got to mail in my submission.

Personally, I never heard anything about the contest after that commercial. I don't know if there ever was a winner announced and their character implemented. I searched for what I could but didn't find anything, not even a reference to any sort of contest having happened. No character listings on any Wiki site seem to mention a contest, either.

Seeing as this was a very popular cartoon on CN during the original runtime, 2004-2009, I imagine somebody else must've seen this contest.

Can you help me find any information about this contest, such as the commencement commercial, a winner's announcement, or even what the winning character was?

Potential Clues:

Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends
2004-2009 (Show's original runtime)
Character (Design) Contest
Commercial (or Buffer) used to announce the contest

Last Edit: Oct 8, 2020 4:49:51 GMT by SKUDRUNNER: Correcting grammatical and/or spelling errors.

co Global Moderator Posts: 1,567	Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Oct 8, 2020 5:19:34 GMT via mobile shlomo200 and SKUDRUNNER like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by co on Oct 8, 2020 5:19:34 GMT I actually remember this contest, but I might be confusing it with the Miguzi contest. I'll take a look around, this is pretty interesting.

strongfox
Lost Media Veteran

Posts: 1,357

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Oct 8, 2020 15:52:13 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by strongfox on Oct 8, 2020 15:52:13 GMT

I remember the contest as well. IIRC there was a tv spot for the winning character randomly shown before a new episode. I don't recall what episode nor do I recall what the character looked like nor the winners name or prize. But please DO NOT quote me on this.

co
Global Moderator

Posts: 1,567

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Oct 8, 2020 15:58:39 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by co on Oct 8, 2020 15:58:39 GMT

Oct 8, 2020 15:52:13 GMT strongfox said:

I remember the contest as well. IIRC there was a tv spot for the winning character randomly shown before a new episode. I don't recall what episode nor do I recall what the character looked like nor the winners name or prize. But please DO NOT quote me on this.

I almost wanna say the character was animated into a background shot, but I could be super wrong. I wish there was an archive for Cartoon Network contests, because their contests frequently come up in the forums here. Just last night I was looking to see if there is such a thing, but I didn't find it.

I also found nothing on this contest, I do believe it happened but I'm going to have to be more creative in my search. Honestly, I think going on the way back machine and seeing if it was advertised on their site throughout it's run would be a good start.

SKUDRUNNER
Lost Media Beginner

Posts: 12

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Oct 8, 2020 16:57:32 GMT

Quote

Post by SKUDRUNNER on Oct 8, 2020 16:57:32 GMT

Oct 8, 2020 15:58:39 GMT co said:

Honestly, I think going on the way back machine and seeing if it was advertised on their site throughout it's run would be a good start.

I thought that was a good idea, so I tried it myself. Unfortunately, CN used to have a Flash-based website, which is almost impossible to navigate on the Wayback Machine because they only store the surface-level flash information, not the links and etc. behind it. Inspecting the elements doesn't work either. All links connected to the flash system just redirect.

I could potentially get in contact with somebody who worked on the show, maybe even Craig McCracken, and see if they could provide some information.

Last Edit: Oct 8, 2020 16:57:49 GMT by SKUDRUNNER

co
Global Moderator

Posts: 1,567

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Oct 8, 2020 18:48:59 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by co on Oct 8, 2020 18:48:59 GMT

Oct 8, 2020 16:57:32 GMT SKUDRUNNER said:

Oct 8, 2020 15:58:39 GMT co said:

Honestly, I think going on the way back machine and seeing if it was advertised on their site throughout it's run would be a good start.

I thought that was a good idea, so I tried it myself. Unfortunately, CN used to have a Flash-based website, which is almost impossible to navigate on the Wayback Machine because they only store the surface-level flash information, not the links and etc. behind it. Inspecting the elements doesn't work either. All links connected to the flash system just redirect.

I could potentially get in contact with somebody who worked on the show, maybe even Craig McCracken, and see if they could provide some information.

Small chance he might reply, he did for Powerpuff Girl stuff for awhile.

strongfox Lost Media Veteran Posts: 1,357	Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Jan 6, 2022 8:05:15 GMT via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by strongfox on Jan 6, 2022 8:05:15 GMT Good luck

SKUDRUNNER
Lost Media Beginner

Posts: 12

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Jul 9, 2022 18:47:39 GMT

Quote

Post by SKUDRUNNER on Jul 9, 2022 18:47:39 GMT

Well, seeing my name for a split moment in one of LSuperSonicQ's videos certainly jogged my memory of this old thread. Thanks @lsupersonicq!

Yeah, I never got around to contacting Craig McCracken or anyone else about this contest. It's been so long I don't really have an excuse for that. Ha!

I'm going through Craig's socials as I type this, trying to see where might be the best place for me to contact him.

Call this a bump! Hopefully somebody who hasn't looked at this before finds it, and may have some clues to work with.

Would be really cool if we found this now. And I'm happy to say I'm back on the hunt, too.

Last Edit: Jul 9, 2022 18:50:00 GMT by SKUDRUNNER

uncleskeletor
Lost Media Beginner

Posts: 13

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Nov 9, 2024 22:26:52 GMT 1derbread likes this

Quote

Post by uncleskeletor on Nov 9, 2024 22:26:52 GMT

Heya, found this thread while searching for another lost Foster's Home contest!

Been going through some old cartoon network recordings and found this advert (Go to 8:08) is this anything to do with the contest you're looking for? I know its not 100% a Fosters Home competition, but it features Bloo throughout the ad and asks you to draw a character with a chance of it being shown on air and winning some prizes.

gaastra
Lost Media Casual

Posts: 63

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Nov 10, 2024 2:52:36 GMT 1derbread and uncleskeletor like this

Quote

Post by gaastra on Nov 10, 2024 2:52:36 GMT

Another ad for fosters cn website for a "make your own imaginary friends" on the website and a bk fosters toys plug but no contest. It's from a miguzi break.

Full break--

No contest however in the break so not what you're looking for sadly.

uncleskeletor
Lost Media Beginner

Posts: 13

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Nov 13, 2024 14:44:43 GMT 1derbread likes this

Quote

Post by uncleskeletor on Nov 13, 2024 14:44:43 GMT

Did some more looking into the 'Draw-A-Toon' contest. Found this upload of the ident here and also some videos announcing winners: 1 (Go to 2:08) & 2

Also found this portfolio from someone who helped design the contest, seems like it was an event that cartoon network UK did annually.

1derbread
Lost Media Fan

Posts: 202

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest" Nov 15, 2024 16:59:42 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by 1derbread on Nov 15, 2024 16:59:42 GMT

This guy from Sweden, Allan Tjacko, entered and won a contest like this when he was a kid through Cartoon Network magazine back in 2004. One of the pages had six blank squares where you had to draw a story and submit it for a chance for it to be animated and aired on the channel in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. Along with this, he also got a Cartoon Network themed party at his school and a bunch of merch. Really cool to see.

youtu.be/WU9J7bMcyIc

Last Edit: Nov 15, 2024 17:46:27 GMT by 1derbread

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends "Character Contest"

Post by SKUDRUNNER on Oct 8, 2020 4:48:50 GMT

Post by co on Oct 8, 2020 5:19:34 GMT

Post by strongfox on Oct 8, 2020 15:52:13 GMT

Post by co on Oct 8, 2020 15:58:39 GMT

Post by SKUDRUNNER on Oct 8, 2020 16:57:32 GMT

Post by co on Oct 8, 2020 18:48:59 GMT

Post by strongfox on Jan 6, 2022 8:05:15 GMT

Post by SKUDRUNNER on Jul 9, 2022 18:47:39 GMT

Post by uncleskeletor on Nov 9, 2024 22:26:52 GMT

Post by gaastra on Nov 10, 2024 2:52:36 GMT

Post by uncleskeletor on Nov 13, 2024 14:44:43 GMT

Post by 1derbread on Nov 15, 2024 16:59:42 GMT

Discord