Who administers the Marketing and Technology Fund for Bambu?
Bambu Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The Marketing and Technology Fund will be administered by Bambu.
Bambu shall direct all advertising and marketing programs financed by the Marketing and Technology Fund, with sole discretion over the creative concepts, materials and endorsements used therein, geographic, market and media placement and allocation, and the administration thereof.
Franchisee agrees that the Marketing and Technology Fund may be used for applications that promote Bambū shoppes, such as loyalty programs and other specialized applications that can add business to the shoppes, such as catering and charitable events, as well as for covering the costs of researching, preparing, maintaining, administering and directing advertising and promotional materials and public relations programs, including production of commercial print, radio, television, magazine, newspaper, Internet advertising, direct response literature, direct mailings, brochures, collateral materials advertising, surveys of advertising effectiveness, advisory council expenses, convention expenses, social media marketing, and other advertising or public relations expenditures, for any international, national, or regional media.
The Marketing and Technology Fund may also be used to pay for the expenses related to researching, developing, implementing, servicing, and operating any technology used in any manner related to the Bambū franchise system or Bambū shoppes, including any technologies utilized in or related to Bambu's website, search engine optimization, reporting of information for Bambū shoppes, the equipment used in Bambū shoppes, and Bambū shoppe computer systems (collectively, the "Technology").
Bambu may reimburse itself from the Marketing and Technology Fund for administrative costs, including the salaries of public relations personnel or persons administering the advertising services, the salaries of persons providing services related to any Technology, preparation of advertising materials, market research, independent audits, collection of the Marketing and Technology Fees, administration of the advisory council, accounting, bookkeeping, reporting and legal expenses, taxes and all other reasonable direct or indirect expenses that Bambu or its authorized representatives incur with the programs funded by the Advertising and Technology Fund.
Bambu may use outside advertising agencies with personal and/or inside personnel or affiliates to provide advertising services for the Marketing and Technology Fund.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 52–209)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bambu's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Marketing and Technology Fund will be administered by Bambu. Bambu has the authority to direct all advertising and marketing programs financed by the fund, including creative concepts, materials, endorsements, geographic placement, market and media allocation, and overall administration.
The Marketing and Technology Fund can be used for applications that promote Bambu shops, such as loyalty programs, catering, and charitable events. It also covers the costs of researching, preparing, maintaining, and directing advertising and promotional materials, including print, radio, television, internet advertising, direct response literature, brochures, social media marketing, and public relations programs. Additionally, the fund can be used for expenses related to technology used in the Bambu franchise system, including website technologies, search engine optimization, reporting, equipment, and computer systems.
Bambu may reimburse itself from the Marketing and Technology Fund for administrative costs, including salaries of public relations personnel, individuals administering advertising services or providing technology-related services, preparation of advertising materials, market research, independent audits, collection of fees, advisory council administration, accounting, bookkeeping, reporting, legal expenses, taxes, and other reasonable direct or indirect expenses. Bambu may also use outside advertising agencies with personnel or affiliates to provide advertising services for the fund.
This means that Bambu franchisees contribute to a fund that is managed and controlled by the franchisor, Bambu, for the benefit of the entire franchise system. While franchisees contribute to the fund, they do not have direct control over how the funds are spent, but Bambu is expected to use the fund to maximize recognition of the brand and patronage of all Bambu shops.