"This Land"
For the 2004 presidential election, JibJab created a Flash movie entitled This Land, which featured George W. Bush and John Kerry singing a parody of Woody Guthrie's song "This Land Is Your Land".
This animation was an instant success, and the site was listed number one on Alexa's "Movers and Shakers" list. The video was so popular, it was viewed on every continent (including Antarctica) as well as the International Space Station. The traffic surge forced JibJab's server to be shut down after one day, and the clip was placed on AtomFilms, where it got more than 1 million hits in 24 hours.
After being linked to on thousands of websites, the song was featured several times in the printed media and on television, including NBC Nightly News, Fox News and ABC World News Tonight. On July 26, 2004, the creators appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In December 2004 the brothers were named People of the Year by Peter Jennings.
The Richmond Organization, a music publisher that owns the copyright to Guthrie's tune through its Ludlow Music Unit, threatened legal action. JibJab responded with a lawsuit in a California federal court, claiming the song was protected under a fair use exemption for parodies. JibJab and Ludlow Music reached a settlement after JibJab's attorneys unearthed evidence that the song had passed into the public domain in 1973. The terms of the settlement allowed for the continued distribution of This Land. Jim Meskimen voiced almost all the characters.
In October 2004, JibJab followed up with another original animation, "Good to be in DC", set to the tune of the song "Dixie". George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, John Kerry, and John Edwards sing about their hopes for the upcoming election.
Immediately after George Bush's election victory, JibJab released another animation, "Second Term". Set to the tune of "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain", Bush gloats over his successful bid for a second term as president, although John Kerry would, maybe, have a turn to become president, someday.
For the 2008 presidential election, Jib Jab released another election-themed animation, "Time for Some Campaignin'" in July of that year. Set to the tune of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'". Bill and Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Barack Obama, George Bush, and Dick Cheney sing of their presidential hopes. Viewers had the option of inserting their own face as that of a harassed voter.
Upon Barack Obama becoming President, Jib Jab released 'He's Barack Obama', where they portrayed the about to be President as a Superhero; the music becomes a heavy metal interpretation of 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home', as he promises he would fix the Middle East, defeat the Taliban, fix the schools, fight a bear, fix the deficit and healthcare, etc.
For the 2012 Presidential Election, JibJab did not make an election video, and instead began to focus their efforts on their e-card business. However, an election web app was released in October.
In 2007, JibJab made an option to put photographs of people's faces in some animated JibJab videos, and the option to send them to other people as e-cards or "sendables". This option is included in a video site Elf Yourself by OfficeMax, where an uploaded photo is put onto a singing/dancing elf. JibJab has let people "star" in many movies, such as renditions of Star Wars in honor of the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back and Mad Men.
Starting in 2005, and for the next nine consecutive years until 2015, JibJab annually released "Year in Review" videos, usually late in December between Christmas and New Year's Day. The videos were uploaded on YouTube. On December 11, 2015, JibJab made a Facebook announcement that they will no longer be releasing "Year in Review" videos.
2-0-5 is the year in review video for the year 2005, it reflects the songs "Auld Lang Syne" and "Turkey in the Straw". 2-0-5 is sung in the perspective of George W. Bush and reflecting on the year's events such as STS-114 "Return to Flight" space shuttle mission, Israeli disengagement from Gaza, Energy Policy Act of 2005, Hurricane Katrina, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Guantanamo Bay detention camp, Avian Flu, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, piracy in Somalia, stem cells, Scooter Libby, Tom DeLay, and his own steadily dropping approval rating, beginning his second-term curse.
This Year in Review portrays a Christmas concert with the kids singing about the past year, sung to the tune of Jingle Bells. Topics include:
Iraq WarWar in AfghanistanThe birth of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's daughter Shiloh NouvelOsama bin Laden's compound in AbbottabadBritney SpearsThe trial and execution of Saddam HusseinDick Cheney hunting incidentThe 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot and subsequent liquid bansHugo Chavez's UN SpeechTom Cruise2006 Thai coup d'étatMel Gibson's DUI incidentTed Haggard's fall from graceDeath of Abu Musab al-ZarqawiGoogle buying YouTubeFidel Castro's health crisisAriel Sharon's strokeThe Mark Foley scandalParis HiltonKim Jong-ilEscherichia coli in foodKenneth Lay's deathLance Bass coming out as gayThe resignation of Donald Rumsfeld's position as Secretary of DefenseDemocrats taking over Congress during the United States elections, 20062006 Lebanon WarIran's nuclear programAt the end of the video it states that the way that things are going, Armageddon won't be long.
The tune "We Didn't Start The Fire" by Billy Joel was used in this Year in Review. The theme is the 2007 Annual Humanity Report arriving and a group of angels do not want to anger God so they "sugar coat" it in a song. Topics included:
Global warmingMichael Vick and the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigationAlberto GonzalesLindsay Lohan's cocaine bustDennis Kucinich asserting that he had seen an unidentified flying object at the Philadelphia Democratic Presidential debateThe 2007 Chinese export recallsThe nomination campaigning of candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, John McCain, John Edwards, Rudy Giuliani, and Fred Thompson for the 2008 presidential electionsThe War in DarfurThe Don Imus Rutgers University women's basketball team controversyThe death of Anna Nicole SmithBlackwater USABritney Spears' performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music AwardsThe Barry Bonds perjury caseThe Malibu forest firesThe Airbus A380's first passenger flight (with Singapore Airlines)Bob Barker retiring from The Price Is Right (U.S. game show)The O. J. Simpson robbery casePervez MusharrafBashar al-AssadMahmoud AhmadinejadCaitlin UptonCargill's beef recallsThe Larry Craig scandalThe rise of Facebook2007 Boston Red Sox seasonHalo 3The popularity of the Nintendo WiiMartin Scorsese winning the 79th Academy AwardsKnut (polar bear)The first release of the iPhoneSanjaya MalakarIn this Year in Review the former Baby New Year (caricature of Jimmy Durante) is seen singing about the past years events to the next Baby New Year for 2009, telling him the year was bad. The song used in this is "Miss Susie Had a Steamboat". Some topics in the videos include:
The 2008 financial crisisThe federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie MacThe liquidity crisis of the American International GroupThe bankruptcy of Lehman BrothersThe Automotive industry crisis on the Big Three automobile manufacturersJesse Jackson threatening to castrate ObamaRick Dyer and Matthew Whitton's YouTube video claiming to have seen Bigfoot's corpse in northern GeorgiaThe Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandalDavid Duchovny going to rehab2000s energy crisisDaniel Radcliffe performing in Equus (he is referred to as "Harry" in the video)Miley Cyrus's Vanity Fair coverBarack Obama's victory during the United States presidential election, 2008Sarah PalinThe Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombingBill GatesThe Russo-Georgian WarThe Carré d'As IV incident and Somalia's subsequent action of November 11Hurricanes Ike and GustavThe John Edwards extramarital affairSung to the tune of "The Entertainer", it chronicles the year's past events. The animation style is notably different from past years. Events featured include:
The Inauguration of Barack ObamaThe controversial Afghan presidential electionProtests over the Iranian presidential electionThe Henry Louis Gates arrest controversyThe divorce of Jon and Kate GosselinThe finger-biting incident at a pro-Obama healthcare rally in Thousand Oaks, CaliforniaThe public health insurance optionThe resignation of Sarah PalinBill Clinton's trip to North Korea and him releasing Euna Lee and Laura Ling from their imprisonmentSwine flu pandemicThe David Letterman extortion attemptThe General Motors Chapter 11 reorganizationThe "Miracle on the Hudson" water landing of US Airways Flight 1549The Michael Phelps marijuana scandalThe OctomomChicago's failed Summer Olympics bidMichael Vick's return to the NFLBrett Favre joining the Minnesota VikingsJoe Wilson yelling "You Lie!" during the Barack Obama speech to joint session of Congress, September 2009Balloon Boy hoaxThe California budget crisisThe American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009Carrie PrejeanThe Mark Sanford disappearance and extramarital affairSonia SotomayorThe 2009 Nobel Peace PrizeMuammar Gaddafi's United Nations speechThree Wolf MoonThe deaths of Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze, Farrah Fawcett, Walter Cronkite, Ed McMahon, Billy Mays, Ted Kennedy, David Carradine, Bea Arthur, Roy E. Disney, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Mary Travers, Dom DeLuise, Ricardo Montalban, Adam Goldstein, Lou Albano, John Hughes, Jack Kemp, Robert Novak, Robert McNamara, Irving Penn, Gidget the Taco Bell chihuahua, and Socks (cat)Transformers: Revenge of the FallenJames Cameron's Avatar breaking his previous box office recordLevi Johnston in PlaygirlThe Tiger Woods infidelity caseKanye West interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music AwardsThe 2010 Year in Review aired on December 19, 2010 on CBS News Sunday Morning. It featured puppets of Obama and Biden singing about what happened in the year 2010; the song was set to the tune of "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze". The review focused mainly on Barack Obama, as well on other political events such as:
Tea Party movement2010 United States foreclosure crisisPatient Protection and Affordable Care Act (otherwise known as Obamacare)Joe Biden swearing on national television while introducing Obama during the signing ceremony2010 Haiti earthquakeThe eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland, disrupting air travel across EuropeThe Greece's Debt CrisisThe Deepwater Horizon oil spillThe Mosque at Ground ZeroWikiLeaksThe campaign finance reform in the United StatesElena KaganObama's falling approval ratingCharles B. Rangel, Stanley A. McChrystal, and Hamid KarzaiThe Iraq WarDon't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck on Fox NewsColleen LaRose (Jihad Jane)Michelle Obama's trip to SpainJetBlue flight attendant incidentRepublcan majority in the United States House of Representatives elections, 2010Rahm Emanuel's resignationRussian spies2010 Times Square car bombing attemptSupport Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods ActProposition 19Inherited warsMountains of debtGridlocking politiciansIran's ongoing nuclear threatsPresidential seal falls off podium during speech at women's conferencePresident Obama concludes the year stating that during his time in office, "that seems to be what you get." This video ends with a basketball being thrown at President Obama, knocking him through the first "0" of "2010" and Biden stating that it will need stitches.
On December 20, 2011 the 2011 Year in Review, titled "2011, Buh-Bye!" was released, and is available on YouTube and their website. Sung to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean", it covered several events. These included:
the introduction of Ben & Jerry's new (yet controversial) ice cream flavor, Schweddy BallsCharlie Sheen's removal from Two and a Half Men and subsequent rise to internet popularityTheft claims by Lindsay Lohancharges of sexual assaults against Dominique Strauss-KahnThe nomination process of the Republican candidates (including Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, and Herman Cain) during the 2012 presidential campaigns with the 9-9-9 planthe trial and conviction of Dr. Conrad MurrayArnold Schwarzenegger's love child scandalStandard & Poor's lowering the United States score for the first timeThe high unemployment rateThe United States debt-ceiling crisisThe Anthony Weiner sexting scandal (Weinergate)Rupert Murdoch and the News of the World investigationThe 2011 United States listeriosis outbreakThe Greek debt contagionThe Arab Spring (including the 2011 Egyptian revolution and the 2011 Libyan civil war)The death of Muammar GaddafiThe removal of Don't ask, don't tellThe claims and denials of homosexuality in Sesame Street characters Bert and ErnieThe death of Osama bin LadenThe 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in JapanThe 2011 England riotsThe 2011 end times prediction by Harold CampingThe widespread 2012 phenomenonThe short-lived marriage by Kim Kardashian and Kris HumphriesThe de facto bankruptcy of Borders Group and NetflixJustin Bieber's new hairstyle"Friday" by Rebecca BlackThe Royal WeddingThe Occupy Wall Street movement and the widespread of the Occupy movementThe deaths of Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Taylor, Betty Ford, Randy Savage, Andy Rooney, Peter Falk, and Amy WinehouseThe Nyan CatThe last Space Shuttle mission (STS-135)The UC Davis pepper-spray incidentMel Gibson's The BeaverAn earthquake in the US East CoastThe new Astrological SignsThe incident in Zanesville, Ohio when exotic animals, such as lions, tigers, and bears were released.Originally posted to the Internet on December 20, 2012, the 2012 Year in Review used the so-called "Mayan Prophesy" of the end of the world as its visual theme, complete with two Mayan characters carving a stylized calendar in stone, while a meteor is seen in the sky hurtling towards Earth. It is sung to the tune of "Down by the Riverside". Events covered include:
Arctic ice meltingFelix Baumgartner jumping to solid ground from the edge of the atmosphere (Red Bull Stratos)The ongoing conflict in Libya (including the 2012 Benghazi attack)The US "Fiscal Cliff"The popularity of ZumbaThe book Fifty Shades of GreySam Champion and Anderson Cooper coming out as gayThe Chick-fil-A same-sex marriage controversyKristen Stewart cheating on Robert PattinsonThe divorce of Katie Holmes and Tom CruiseLance Armstrong being stripped of his titles for using performance-enhancing drugsThe disappointing price plunge of Facebook stock once that company went publicThe record-breaking success of Marvel's Avengers movie, surpassing The Dark Knight Rises; The Hunger Games and The Amazing Spider-ManRush Limbaugh referring to Sandra Fluke as a slutDisney's purchase of LucasfilmThe first airing of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo"Gangnam Style" by PsyThe failed restoration of Elías García Martínez's Ecce Homo by amateur restorer Cecilia GiménezThe popularity of "Ermahgerd" memesThe Secret Service escort scandalThe Petraeus scandalThe US Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care ActClint Eastwood's discussion of politics with an empty chair representing Barack Obama during the Republican National ConventionThe re-election of Obama to the Presidency (his opponent, Mitt Romney with his running mate Paul Ryan, are shown carrying "binders full of women" and a doll of Big Bird)British monarch Queen Elizabeth's parachute entrance to the opening of the 2012 Summer OlympicsOlympic gold medal winners, including Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, Gabby Douglas, and Usain BoltMcKayla Maroney's "not impressed" facial expression following her second-place finish in the women's vaultThe Curiosity rover on MarsArnold Schwarzenegger's autobiography Total Recall (book)The deaths of Michael Clarke Duncan, Andy Griffith, Phyllis Diller, Sherman Hemsley, Dick Clark, Larry Hagman, Whitney Houston, Jerry Nelson (represented alongside an angel version of Sesame Street's "Count von Count"), Donna Summer, Neil Armstrong, Hector Camacho, Alastair Burnet, Maurice Sendak, Dave Brubeck, and Ray Bradbury (as well as the bankruptcy and liquidation of Hostess Brands, represented by the Twinkie mascot shown as an angel)Hurricane SandyThe controversial game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks that led to public outcry over NFL's replacement refereesContinuing friction between Israel and Palestine, namely Operation Pillar of DefenseSnooki having a babyThe video ends with a meteor impact on Earth, with 2013 beginning as the new era.
Posted on December 19, 2013, the 2013 year in review was themed as a Broadway musical number. It is sung to the tune of "Give My Regards to Broadway". Topics mentioned included:
The 2012–13 Egyptian protests and the overthrow of Mohamed MorsiOngoing drone attacks in PakistanNSA scandal and Edward SnowdenThe Budget sequestration in 2013The United States federal government shutdown of 2013The problematic launch of HealthCare.govToronto Mayor Rob Ford and the cocaine scandalThe second Anthony Weiner sexting scandal under the alias "Carlos Danger"The breakout success of the movie GravityThe resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and subsequent election of Pope FrancisThe striking down of the Defense of Marriage Act and California Propisition 8The births of North West-Kardashian and Prince George of CambridgeThe popularity of The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad, as well as the latter's series finaleThe launch of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C"Harlem Shake" by Baauer and the meme it spawnedMiley Cyrus twerking at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards and the launch of her music video for "Wrecking Ball" (followed by Sinéad O'Connor's criticism of Cyrus)Jeff Bezos buying The Washington PostThe controversy over Paula Deen admitting to using the N-word many years ago"Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke featuring T.I and PharrellThe deaths of James Gandolfini, Roger Ebert, Marcia Wallace, Lou Reed, Ray Harryhausen, Cory Monteith, Paul Walker, Nelson Mandela, Peter O'Toole, Margaret Thatcher, Robin Sachs, Richard Griffiths, Syd Field, Diane Disney and Lisa Robin KellyThe liquidation of Blockbuster LLCThe popularity of BatkidThe record-breaking launch of Grand Theft Auto V"The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" by Ylvis;The 2013 Colorado floodsTyphoon Haiyan over the PhilippinesThe EF5 tornado in Moore, OklahomaSharknadoThe Justin Bieber-Anne Frank controversyMarissa Mayer buying TumblrThe Hunger Games: Catching FireJason Collins coming out as gayBeyoncé Knowles' surprise album releaseBen Affleck being cast as BatmanEminem's The Marshall Mathers LP2Emma Roberts' addiction to CronutsThe 50th anniversary of Doctor WhoDespicable Me 2Posted on December 21, 2014, the 2014 year in review is sung to the tune of Beethoven's 9th Symphony (Final Movement), a.k.a. "Ode to Joy". Mentions include:
Obama unifying Cuba2014 Winter Olympics2014 Israel–Gaza conflictThe December 2014 Sony Pictures Entertainment hack and (temporary) cancellation of The InterviewThe How I Met Your Mother series finaleRenee Zellweger's facial reconstructionThe 2014 Omar J. Gonzalez White House intrusionThe viral cover of Paper magazine featuring Kim KardashianThe rise of ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and SyriaThe Russian military intervention in Ukraine.The Republican victory in the congressional midterm elections.Barack Obama's executive ordersThe shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, death of Eric Garner in Staten Island and subsequent nationwide unrestThe outbreak of the Ebola virusThe legalization of marijuana in D.C. and ColoradoThe Ice Bucket ChallengeHobby Lobby filing a lawsuit over the Affordable Care Act, refusing to cover employee birth controlThe sexual assault allegations against and career implosion of Bill Cosby and subsequent cancellation of The Cosby Show.Jay Leno's retirement from The Tonight Show and Jimmy Fallon's takeover.The ending of The Colbert Report as host Stephen Colbert prepares to succeed David Letterman on The Late Show"All About That Bass" by Meghan TrainorShia LaBeouf covering his face with a paper bag at the Berlin Film Festival and Rob Cantor's Shia LeBeouf Live.Roger Goodell terminating Ray Rice from the Baltimore Ravens and Adrian Peterson from the Minnesota Vikings over domestic violence cases.The marriage of Brad Pitt to Angelina Jolie and George Clooney to Amal Alamuddin.The divorce of Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow.Justin Bieber's egg-throwing and DUI incidents, subsequent arrest, and continued career downfall.The Solange Knowles-Jay-Z elevator brawl.Cosmos: A Spacetime OdysseyThe Rosetta Spacecraft successfully landing on a cometThe success of Guardians of the Galaxy and InterstellarThe leaks of hundreds of nude celebrity photos on 4Chan and Reddit, including Jessica Brown Findlay, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton and Kirsten Dunst."Happy" by Pharrell Williams and his giant mountie hat from the 56th Annual Grammy Awards"Weird Al" Yankovic's Mandatory FunFemale ThorThe deaths of Casey Kasem, Robin Williams, Sid Caeser, Pete Seeger, Richard Attenborough, Mickey Rooney, Maya Angelou, Jan Hooks, Harold Ramis, Joan Rivers and Philip Seymour HoffmanThe 2014 FIFA World Cup, specifically Germany's 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in the semifinals"Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj and Eaten Alive.The release of the iPhone 6 and U2's botched Songs of Innocence album release.Malaysia Airlines aircraft losses (The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17).Potato Salad Kickstarter.Gamergate controversy.The Chase Bank, Home Depot, and Sony data breaches.Tracy Morgan's traffic accident and subsequent lawsuit against Walmart.The Washington Redskins logo change controversy.Malala Yousafzai winning a 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.The discovery of Dreadnoughtus schrani, believed to be the largest dinosaur ever to exist.Star Wars: The Force Awakens announcement.Janet Yellen becomes Chairwoman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.The racist comments made by Donald Sterling, and the ensuing controversy.In 2005, JibJab released the video "Big Box Mart". Sung to the tune of "Oh, Susannah", it tells the story of an American factory worker who buys quantities of cheap, imported "crap" from his local Big Box Mart, a parody of big-box stores, running up large amounts of credit card debt. However, everyone else is also buying cheap, imported crap from Big Box Mart, so the American factory goes out of business, leaving our hero out of work and mired in debt at the age of 53. Along with the rest of his coworkers, he goes to work at the only industry left in town, which is Big Box Mart, where he spends the rest of his life living paycheck to paycheck, with little hope of being able to retire.
Sung to the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic", "What We Call the News" laments the decline of journalism in the cable TV era, particularly sensationalistic stories and the fact that "great legends found themselves replaced by blondes with big fake boobs!".
JibJab produced a video for the 2006 song Do I Creep You Out by satirist Weird Al Yankovic, a parody of Taylor Hicks' Do I Make You Proud. The video depicts the main character stalking a barista in increasingly disturbing ways (as described in the song), ending with his being beaten and arrested by the police. The final scene reveals that the lead has been singing the song in a prison talent show.
The logo of JibJab depicts two men from the Victorian era, which was temporarily changed in So Long To Ya, 2010 to puppets and 2011, Buh-Bye to popsicle stick figures.
In August 2011, JibJab entered the kids' market with JibJab Jr. - a line of children's apps for the iPad and iPhone. The app allows parents to personalize the stories with a photo and name of their child. This site was later changed to StoryBots. Today, StoryBots includes a line of apps on the iOS platform designed for children ages 2–8 and their parents.