Jollibee Philippines | The Mascot of Jollibee in the Philippines

I honestly wonder what goes through the heads of fast-food chain management and founders when deciding what their mascot should be. It must have been an interesting time when the creators of McDonalds came up with the idea of a friendly clown dressed in red, yellow and white. I guess things were a bit simpler for Dave Thomas when he named the franchise after his daughter Wendy, though I would hesitate to call her a mascot. We all know how bad (or maybe good?) things can get when a fast food chain brainstorms the brilliant idea of a talking chihuahua that speaks in Spanish about how much he wants (or loves?) Taco Bell. Interestingly enough, not all successful chains need a mascot (or maybe they weren’t memorable) in the case of chains like Arby’s, but many do, like Jack of Jack in the Box and The King of Buger King - all normal people with ridiculous masks or, um, heads.

Now what does this have to do with Jollibee in the Philippines? Well, many would attribute Jollibee’s success in the Philippines to its mascot, sharing the same name as the franchise: the Jollibee. Is it a coincidence that Jollibee chose its mascot to be bright yellow and red as well? Perhaps not - as gaudy as those colors may seem, they are more than vibrant enough to catch the eye’s attention. These colors exposed to children who grow up on Jollibee begin a lifelong association of bright yellow and red with delicious, affordable and fast food. Reminiscent of the memorable flavors of popular condiments for hamburgers (or Yumburgers) and hot dogs, the yellow and red bee named Jollibee is dressed in a chef’s hat along with a shirt and blazer.

Jollibee’s smiling face is friendly enough to be a favorite among kids, and his face is prevalent in many locations that include playrooms for children. Clearly, this cartoon figure is aimed at the younger generation, but it does not alienate the older generation, especially these days, when many of us have grown up eating Jollibee. It’s easy to say that this figure has been pivotal in the branding and marketing efforts that have led to such success in the Philippines.

Read more about the History of Jollibee in the Phillippines.

There’s even more to learn at Jollibee Philippines.