Can the Bambu Marketing and Technology Fund be used for loyalty programs?
Bambu Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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.
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 can be used for loyalty programs. Specifically, the FDD states that the fund may be used for applications that promote Bambu shops, such as loyalty programs. This indicates that Bambu franchisees may benefit from the fund's resources to support customer loyalty initiatives.
In addition to loyalty programs, the Marketing and Technology Fund can also be used for other specialized applications that can add business to the shops, such as catering and charitable events. The fund can also cover the costs of researching, preparing, maintaining, administering, and directing advertising and promotional materials and public relations programs. This includes various forms of advertising, surveys, advisory council expenses, convention expenses, and social media marketing.
The fund may also be used to pay for expenses related to researching, developing, implementing, servicing, and operating any technology used in the Bambu franchise system or shops. This includes technologies utilized in Bambu's website, search engine optimization, reporting of information, equipment, and computer systems. Bambu may also reimburse itself from the fund for administrative costs, including salaries, preparation of advertising materials, market research, independent audits, and other reasonable expenses related to the programs funded by the fund.
Bambu has sole discretion over the advertising and marketing programs financed by the Marketing and Technology Fund, including creative concepts, materials, endorsements, geographic placement, market and media allocation, and administration. While Bambu aims to benefit all shops, it is not obligated to ensure expenditures are proportionate to contributions from shops in any specific geographic area, nor that any shop will benefit directly or in proportion to its contribution.