Does Country Visions provide the advertising materials it develops to Apricot Lane franchisees?
Apricot_Lane Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
In most cases, COUNTRY VISIONS provides the advertising materials it develops to you and you utilize them at your discretion.
COUNTRY VISIONS will prepare an annual accounting of the operation of the Fund and this report will be made available to you upon request. There is no requirement for COUNTRY VISIONS to audit the Fund or provide you with an audited report. If COUNTRY VISIONS elects to have such an audit performed, the cost of doing so can be charged against the Fund.
During our most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 the Fund was allocated as follows: 72% on production and creation of advertising materials, including maintaining, administering, directing, creating, preparing and approving advertising and promotions, market research, and collecting and accounting for assessments for the Fund, including salaries and overhead expenses and the cost of activities reasonably related to these functions, 18% on media placement for includes a messaging platform, brand awareness advertising and Google Maps store locator, and 10% on our administrative expenses primarily to cover the expenses related to the national gift card program. If all advertising fees are not spent in the fiscal year in which they accrue, COUNTRY VISIONS will rollover any outstanding balances to the subsequent year's Fund.
The Fund is not used for any advertising that is principally a solicitation for the sale of franchises. As of the date of this Disclosure Document there is no active advertising council.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 22–30)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Apricot Lane FDD, Country Visions typically provides the advertising materials it develops to its franchisees, who then use them at their own discretion.
Apricot Lane franchisees are required to contribute 1% of their gross revenues to the Marketing, Advertising and Development Fund, which Country Visions uses to develop marketing and advertising programs. Country Visions has sole discretion over the creative concepts, materials, and media used in these programs, as well as their placement and allocation. The FDD specifies that Country Visions does not guarantee that any particular franchisee will directly or proportionately benefit from the advertising.
The funds are used for various advertising-related costs, including mass media, magazine, online, newspaper, digital advertising, direct mail, outdoor billboard advertising, public relations, website development, personnel costs, promotional materials, and support mechanisms. All funds are maintained in a separate account and are not used for Country Visions' general operating expenses. However, the fund may reimburse Country Visions for reasonable salaries, benefits, administrative costs, travel expenses, meeting costs, and overhead related to the fund's business.
During the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, the Marketing, Advertising and Development Fund allocated 72% of its resources to the production and creation of advertising materials, including administration, market research, and collecting assessments. Additionally, 18% was allocated to media placement, including a messaging platform, brand awareness advertising, and a Google Maps store locator, and 10% covered administrative expenses, primarily for the national gift card program. Any unspent advertising fees are rolled over to the subsequent year's fund. The fund is not used for advertising that primarily solicits the sale of franchises.