MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Jollibee has just made its boldest move yet — and it all starts with the menu. With the launch of GameJoy, the beloved fast-food brand steps into the gaming arena with an eat-to-earn campaign that’s as culturally resonant as it is commercially sharp.

Led by game and brand experience design agency Octopus&Whale, “GameJoy” goes beyond a typical brand collaboration — it’s a first-of-its-kind ecosystem that unites Jollibee with UniPin’s universal e-wallet platform and top game publishers like Garena, NetEase, and OurPalm to reward fans for what they already love doing: eating at Jollibee and playing games.

Launched across all Jollibee stores nationwide, the campaign introduces GameJoy Credits — virtual currency earned with every GameJoy Combo purchase, redeemable across UniPin’s catalog of over 10,000 games. The activation flips the traditional “in-game” model, instead creating a real-world entry point into the gaming economy.

“We know gamers hate being interrupted,” said Ferns Yu Jr., Jollibee Philippines President, at GameJoy Con, the brand’s first gaming convention. “So instead of jumping into their games, we opened our doors and invited them into ours — with free rewards waiting.”

Octopus&Whale’s challenge: Create a campaign that honors Jollibee’s heritage while speaking authentically to the hyper-connected, hyper-discerning gaming community.

“Contrary to the stereotype, gamers aren’t a monolith; they are as diverse as the games they play,” said Dorothy Dee Ching, VP & Head of Marketing at Jollibee. “So we created a reward that works across genres, platforms, and player types — something that brings all types of gamers together and brings the joy of eating and gaming to everyone. That’s what Jollibee is all about.”

“This couldn’t be just a simple brand partnership,” said Joey David-Tiempo, Founder and CEO of Octopus&Whale. “This is Jollibee — a global Filipino icon. The idea had to be culturally grounded, frictionless, and playable by anyone, whether you’re into Call of Duty Mobile, Eggy Party, or MU Origins. If there’s one thing Filipinos agree on, it’s that we all eat at Jollibee. So we asked ourselves: what if eating at Jollibee meant you were already in the game?”

The result is a campaign that sets a new benchmark for QSR-brand participation in gaming:

What makes GameJoy different?

• Playable IRL – Unlike typical gaming activations, GameJoy starts in the real world with a meal and ends with in-game value. It’s gaming you can taste.
• Every Meal is Currency – The more you eat, the more you earn. Each Gamejoy Combo comes with a code that unlocks Gamejoy Credits — making every meal a step closer to your next in-game reward.
• Ecosystem-Led, Not Brand-Intrusive – Gamejoy brings together multiple industry players — including UniPin, Garena, NetEase, and Ourpalm — in a seamless experience never before  seen in regional brand marketing.
• Locally Relevant, Globally Scalable – Born out of Filipino gaming behavior but designed to expand across markets.

From a brand perspective, GameJoy drives both foot traffic and cultural capital. From a gamer’s perspective, it legitimizes fast food as part of the gaming lifestyle. And from an industry standpoint, it sets a precedent.

“A campaign like this uplifts the entire ecosystem,” said DC Dominguez, Country Head of UniPin PH. “It brings inclusivity to a fragmented space — something Jollibee is uniquely positioned to do.”

Garena’s Game Publishing Producer Nicolas Ting added, “It’s more than a campaign; it’s a grassroots movement that brings play to people—wherever they are. This is a strong example of how brands can connect with gamers not just through ads or sponsorships, but through experiences that are deeply rooted in local culture.”

Jollibee GameJoy proves that when creativity is culturally tuned and ecosystem-driven, it can unlock new spaces for brands — not just to show up, but to belong.

Octopus&Whale is an affiliate partner of Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW).

On Sunday, the Washington State Scholastic Esports Association (WSSEA) and the Snohomish County Sports Commission hosted the 2025 Esports High School State Championships at the Lynnwood Event Center. This is the first time WSSEA has held the Esports State Championships in Lynnwood.

Esport is a team sport played using electronic games. More than 160 students from 32 high school teams across Washington state competed, including representatives from Edmonds-Woodway High School. Teams specialize in playing one or more of three commercial games (Rocket League, Valorant and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate). Two high school teams play against each other in a series of elimination rounds. Final scores for all games can be found on the WSSEA website.

In addition to the gaming competitions, this event included representatives from college eSport programs, gaming equipment suppliers and numerous gaming development companies.

“As we mark 20 years of storytelling and brand-building, we’re proud to unveil the next evolution of The Lumistella Company at Licensing Expo,” said Christa Pitts, co-CEO of The Lumistella Company.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Reaction is pouring in to Jefferson County Public Schools’ tentative budget for the 2025-26 school year. The Board of Education reviewed the proposal Tuesday. 

JCPS is in the second part of the budgeting process. Chief Financial Officer Eddie Muns said they’re just below their $100 million reduction goal. 

“We came up with $99.1 million worth of budget reductions and tried to make sure that they impacted students to the least extent possible,” Muns said.

JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio said the district is going back to 2019 funding levels without federal funds they received after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our budget cuts really at this point were either things that we added because of those ESSER [Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund] from COVID or one-time expenses like weapon detection and things like that … I think we’ve done a really good job of making those cuts without having to cut any staff whatsoever,” Pollio said. “I’m proud of that work.” 

One of the largest cuts is eliminating the $12 million in transportation stipends to help families drive students to school. Those funds were originally put into place after the district cut back on transportation to magnet and traditional schools.

Families received up to $10 per day to take their children to school if they qualified for free or reduced lunch. Around 17,000 students were eligible for the transportation stipends.

JCPS parent Tabetha Smith, who lives in Louisville’s South End, said not having transportation at all has hurt her family. 

“The problem is, it’s now turned into a position that not only are we not going to transport your children, but we’re also now not going to financially support you while you are trying to work, while you are trying to do what you can for your child’s education,” Smith said. “Instead of supporting us as parents, you’re doing the complete opposite.”

Smith fears she may have to pull her kids out of their current middle schools.

“My daughter is smart, and I’m proud that she has made it this far,” Smith said. “And yet we’re going to turn around and penalize her with not being able to go to school and having to go from Noe Middle to Moore.” 

Muns said that with this current budget, there will be certain challenges that will have to be addressed in the future.

“We have certain salary schedules that we know need to be reviewed for certain positions,” Muns said. “Another is we have we don’t have a current replacement schedule for things that we know we will need a replacement schedule for. One of those is buses; another one is Chromebooks.” 

While there are almost $100 million in cuts, the budget still calls for nearly $30 million for racial equity initiatives and little more than $11 million for mental health practitioners.

JCPS will show the working budget in September, which will include updated projections for property tax revenue and a better idea of the district’s financial path.

The district’s goal is to cut another $50 million for the 2026-27 school year. 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Reaction is pouring in to Jefferson County Public Schools’ tentative budget for the 2025-26 school year. The Board of Education reviewed the proposal Tuesday. 

JCPS is in the second part of the budgeting process. Chief Financial Officer Eddie Muns said they’re just below their $100 million reduction goal. 

“We came up with $99.1 million worth of budget reductions and tried to make sure that they impacted students to the least extent possible,” Muns said.

JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio said the district is going back to 2019 funding levels without federal funds they received after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our budget cuts really at this point were either things that we added because of those ESSER [Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund] from COVID or one-time expenses like weapon detection and things like that … I think we’ve done a really good job of making those cuts without having to cut any staff whatsoever,” Pollio said. “I’m proud of that work.” 

One of the largest cuts is eliminating the $12 million in transportation stipends to help families drive students to school. Those funds were originally put into place after the district cut back on transportation to magnet and traditional schools.

Families received up to $10 per day to take their children to school if they qualified for free or reduced lunch. Around 17,000 students were eligible for the transportation stipends.

JCPS parent Tabetha Smith, who lives in Louisville’s South End, said not having transportation at all has hurt her family. 

“The problem is, it’s now turned into a position that not only are we not going to transport your children, but we’re also now not going to financially support you while you are trying to work, while you are trying to do what you can for your child’s education,” Smith said. “Instead of supporting us as parents, you’re doing the complete opposite.”

Smith fears she may have to pull her kids out of their current middle schools.

“My daughter is smart, and I’m proud that she has made it this far,” Smith said. “And yet we’re going to turn around and penalize her with not being able to go to school and having to go from Noe Middle to Moore.” 

Muns said that with this current budget, there will be certain challenges that will have to be addressed in the future.

“We have certain salary schedules that we know need to be reviewed for certain positions,” Muns said. “Another is we have we don’t have a current replacement schedule for things that we know we will need a replacement schedule for. One of those is buses; another one is Chromebooks.” 

While there are almost $100 million in cuts, the budget still calls for nearly $30 million for racial equity initiatives and little more than $11 million for mental health practitioners.

JCPS will show the working budget in September, which will include updated projections for property tax revenue and a better idea of the district’s financial path.

The district’s goal is to cut another $50 million for the 2026-27 school year.