Jollitown (partially found Filipino children's program; 2008-2013)
Season 1 Title Card.
Status: Partially Found
Jollitown is a Filipino children's program produced by Filipino fast-food conglomerate Jollibee together with the chain's advertising agency of record Mccain WorldGroup Philippines (Mccain Erickson in seasons 1-3) and commercial production company Unitel, and which is aired for six seasons from April 13, 2008 to October 12, 2013. The series was commissioned for the celebration of the chain's 30th founding anniversary and it created by Ernesto Tanmantiong, President of the chain's business unit and later president of JFC Philippines. It is run on two neworks including GMA Network (2008-2010, 2013) and ABS-CBN (2011-2012). It is nominated for 28th PMPC Star Awards for Television for Best Children's Show in 2014, as well as won for Best Innovative and Integrated Campaign in the Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards and for Integrated Media Campaign in Araw Values Awards in 2009.
Premise
The series featured Jollibee and his best friends on a journey of lessons and values to children. He also joined by the human characters on their fun journeys. In season 6, the show became a variety-style show with games, stories and more.
History
The show was officially announced by Jollibee in March of 2008, with a premiere date and network announced in newspaper ads on April 6, 2008, GMA themselves meanwhile did not mentioned the program in the newspaper ads regarding the network's new shows during the 2008 Summer Season, but they did mentioned in the network's promo plugs. After the rating success of the first season, GMA renews the show for the second season, with the second was premiered on April 19, 2009. Despite the ratings of the 2nd season is struggling as a result of the chain's revenues affected by the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, GMA renews the show for the third season with a Summer 2010 tentative date, but however due to some delays in the production of the show, the third season was premiered on August 22, 2010.
After GMA programming management cancels the show after three seasons due to disappointed ratings during the third season, the show was saved by rival network ABS-CBN in 2011, with season 4 was premiered on July 17, 2011. ABS-CBN renewed the show for a fifth season and the second on the said network following the successful ratings of season 4 in 2012, with season 5 premiered on July 22 of the same year. Following the low ratings of the show's fifth season, ABS-CBN cancelled the show after two seasons in 2013, and the chain announced the show they will returned for the sixth and final season. The Jollitown Kids Show premiered on GMA on July 20, 2013 as a variety style show.
Sponsorship
The show was eventually sponsored by Jollibee, which is also running commercials throughout the entire show, with commercials for the company's other restaurants including Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal and Burger King (only in season 6) were also broadcast. During the 1st GMA run in season 1-3, commercials for products provided by other companies were also aired, along with promos for GMA's network-produced and acquired programs is also broadcast. In the ABS-CBN's stint in seasons 4 & 5, their aired it without breaks, and it airs promotions for ABS-CBN's network-produced and acquired programs after every episode.
Availability
Despite being fairly popular back when it aired, for around 10 years, it was difficult to find full episodes of the show. In August of 2023, UxS Inc. uploaded full episodes of seasons 1 to 5 on its official YouTube channel. On September 14, 2020, Youtube user Myrian Deacury uploaded the first episode of season 6, which is a TVRip. As of now, episodes 13 and 14 of season 1 and the entire season 6 are not yet to resurface.
Season 1
This is the first season to broadcast on GMA Network and it aired at 9:30am on Sundays. The team at GMA Marketing and Productions, Inc., along with the network's programing head Jose Abacan and network's entertainment group head Willma Galvante serves as executives in charge of production and oversighters for the network (uncredited).
| # | Episode | Air Date | Synopsis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jollibee's Wish (Pilot) | Apr 13, 2008 | Jollibee and the kids welcoming to Jollitown, but a star shooting for a wishing well and a group of meals turned into a house with his friends welcoming to Jollitown.
Featured songs: "Jollibee's Wish", "Awit ng Jolly Friends", "Jollitown Theme (Jollitown season 1 Theme)" |
Found |
| 2 | Story Time | Apr 20, 2008 | Jollibee and his friends reading a story about a princess saved from the dragon.
Feature songs: "Imagination" |
Found |
See Also
- Jollibee (partially found animated commercial for Filipino restaurant; 1980-1985)
- Jollibee Character Songs Volumes 1 And 2 (partially found promotional album for Filipino fast food chain; 1984)