Asia-Pacific Power List 2021: Francis Flores, Jollibee

Francis Flores

Philippines marketing head
Jollibee
Philippines
Member since 2018

As Jollibee Philippines marketing head, Francis Flores has led the development of marketing and self-described ‘brand love’ campaigns that have helped Jollibee pivot in this new normal. During the past year, in which Jollibee was challenged by the drop in dining-out and forced to close hundreds of outlets, its marketing campaigns adroitly shifted to promoting off-site channels and addressing new customer needs. For example, an 3D animated ad promoted the launch of Jollibee’s new app enabling pre-ordering, tracking and scheduled deliveries.

Jollibee remains intrinsically part of Pinoy culture, and during almost six years at the marketing helm, Flores has doubled down on this national identity, overseeing iconic campaigns like the now iconic ‘Kwentung Jollibee’ series, with its tens of millions of views, aimed as much at warming hearts as filling bellies. Family love has been a constant theme, also evident in Jollibee’s long-running Family Values Awards.

But as the Philippines’ favourite fast ‘comfort food’ chain continues to evolve as a global brand with a focus on North American expansion, it has tailored its ‘joy of family’ message to fit new realities. Last month Flores and his teams worked with BBH Singapore and award-winning director Law Chen to produce the brand’s first global campaign, set in New York, highlighting how family love can sometimes be most evident by going through hardships together.

Flores says the same values of empathy, joy, and integrity are what he brings to the Jollibee leadership team to develop policies and measures to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are part of the culture and practiced in the organisation.

Flores, in fact, wears two hats at the company. He is also responsible for the brand strategy, marketing plans and portfolio management of other Jollibee Foods brands throughout the Philippines. These include Burger King, Chowking, Greenwich Pizza, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal and many others.

Before taking on his current role at Jollibee, Flores served as the president of Dunkin Donuts China and was the general manager and president of Greenwich Pizza & Pasta from 2011 to 2013, where he employed award-winning campaigns to help to position it among the top pizza chains in the Philippines. Flores started out his professional career with Unilever, which culminated in him serving as regional brand director for Axe Asia.

Flores can be found on Twitter at @francisflores76.