User:Zeality/Sandbox

Hanna-Barbera staged an international contest in February 1997 called "Quest World Adventure", the prize being a trip to a secret island (Jamaica) in July. Commercials instructed fans to mail in episodes' geographical destinations during sweeps week. Advertisements appeared on Time Warner's television channels, in Sports Illustrated for Kids, DC Comics publications, radio stations, and Warner Brothers stores. Turner encouraged local cable operators to submit their own spots, generating 34,000 ads among 174 cable systems for a total of $3.4 million cross-channel media support. 50,000 children with a median age of ten entered the competition, and 20,000 answered correctly. Turner randomly selected ten viewers from the United States and nine from Latin America and Asia as winners. They and 200 others received Quest-themed adventure packs, including a backpack, flashlight and siren, travel journal, pen, T-shirt, and glow sticks. Cartoon Network aired the names of winning children on a special feature in which Jeremiah Surd issued personal threats.

The nineteen winners received travel itineraries for an all-expenses-paid trip to Ocho Rios, Jamaica with up to three family members. Planners kept the destination secret until shortly before travel. In Jamaica, kids combated Surd's "environmental terrorism" by preventing him from finding the Jamaican "Irie" stones. Children received clues on the mission by e-mail seemingly written by Jonny Quest. Posing as the kids' allies, network employees prepared clues, buried treasure, and hosted barbecues, reggae concerts, and rafting trips. Participants searched for the stones at the White River, Dunn's River Falls, and Prospect Plantation; hosts filmed the proceedings for possible future promotions. The quest centered on cerebral challenges—the kids reportedly had to "really think in order to solve the riddle and save the world." Attendees also learned about the history and ecology of Jamaica. The adventure doubled the show's ratings for February sweeps and tripled Questworld.com ' s hits threefold. Brandweek magazine awarded it the year's top honors for a global marketing promotion.