Ads & Ends
Nanette Franco-Diyco
I WAS SCANNING the Internet, carefully noting down links to Lenten recollections, spiritual readings, and inspirational talks to recommend to my family for our Holy Week vacation, when I came across a most delightful 5-minute digital video that thoroughly made me declare an intermission from the very serious task I had assigned myself.
It looks like a regular audition being conducted by G-Force, the premiere dance group in the country led by Teacher Georcelle Sy, top celebrity choreographer to the stars. Some eight or nine very good, youthful dancers together do their different dance steps while Georcelle and her team quickly select their favorites.
Then, a break is called, but the silence is interrupted somewhat by R&B music filtering in. Georcelle is obviously surprised, and her surprise grows as she sees Jollibee walking in through the open door. He executes a dance all by his lonesome — like he is late for the audition that just ended and wants to catch up.
Georcelle and her team are so enamored and, with awe, exclaim their approval of what is happening before them. Jollibee gleefully dances away like there’s no tomorrow. Then, on Jollibee’s invitation, Georcelle stands from the judges’ section and joins him on the dance floor. One good dancer can hardly resist dancing with another equally skilled!
And, the two dance away as though competing with each other. If I were to judge, I would unhesitatingly declare a tie! No doubt, it is sheer joy to watch Georcelle on the dance floor.
Let’s face it; Jollibee, to the ordinary layman, stands unmoving in front of a Jollibee store or on a Jollibee rooftop. Here, his big round eyes blink flirtatiously at you while he dances away!
Through all these years, we had fallen in love with Jollibee and, admittedly, have accepted him as a near-person spreading loads of goodwill to children and their families. He is there to specially welcome everyone to Jollibee’s children’s parties. But at most, the children and their guests get a warm handshake and a hug.
Over the years, Jollibee has undergone minor facial transformations, evolving and becoming more humanized. Definitely, he dances like a dream now.
Francis Flores, Jollibee global brand CMO and Jollibee Philippines marketing head, recently back from a two-year stint in China and Vietnam as president for international operations, related that he was recently reviewing Jollibee’s presence in the Internet. He observed that every time the Jollibee mascot was shot on video doing even the most ordinary things, the number of likes and shares escalated substantially. He casually mentioned this to his friend, Michael Carandang, an Emmy awardee who moved here in 2012 and is now Mega TV production manager and creative head of TV 100. And here began the brainstorm leading to the “JolliDance Showdown.”
It was a great coincidence that G-Force was scheduled to do auditions. Director Carandang coordinated with G-Force’s Angel Sy so that Georcelle was completely in the dark about the “auditioning” Jollibee. Look again at Georcelle’s facial expression of total surprise — “What on earth is going on?!”
Jollibee bought the rights to the song “Dessert” by Dawin to accompany the mascot’s all-important dance.
Thus, Jollibee launched Francis’ “JolliDance Showdown.” Only a little over two weeks since it was uploaded to Jollibee’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel, the JolliDance video now has more than 6 million views, with more than a hundred thousand shares.
Fantastic collaboration here of Jollibee and production house TV 100. Take a long, low bow!
JolliDance Showdown Campaign credits. Company, Jollibee Foods Corp.: Francis Flores, Jollibee Global brand CMO and Jollibee Philippines marketing head; Arline Adeva, Jollibee PR, communications, and digital marketing director; and Ann Lao, Jollibee Philippines PR officer.
Production house, TV 100: Michael Carandang, director.
Nanette Franco-Diyco ended her 15th year advertising career as Vice-President of JWT, segueing into the world of academe, currently teaching communications at the Ateneo de Manila University.
