What is the Brand Development Fund for Beard Papas?

rand Development Fund") (Franchise Agreement, Article 9.A.). As disclosed in Item 6 of this Disclosure Document, you must contribute a monthly sum not to exceed 2% of monthly Gross Sales to the Brand Development Fund. We may use the Brand Development Fund for market studies, research, service development, product development, testing, research studies, technology development, advertising and public relations studies or services, creative production and printing of advertising and marketing materials, advertising copy and commercials, tracking costs, agency fees, administrative costs, which may include reimbursement for direct administrative and personnel costs associated with advertising and public relations, and any other costs associated with the development, marketing and testing of advertising, marketing and public relations materials, and the purchase of media placement, advertising time and public relations materials in national, regional or other advertising and public relations media in a manner determined by us, in our discretion, to be in the best interest of the franchisees and the System. Our company and/or affiliate owned Shops may but are not required to contribute to the Brand Development Fund. The Brand Development Fund will maintain unaudited financial records detailing its expenditures and will make available to you, no more frequently than one time in any 12 month period, an unaudited accounting of how monies contributed to the Brand Development Fund were spent each year. We are not required to segregate the Brand Development Fund from our general operating funds and we are not a fiduciary or trustee of the Brand Development Fund. The Brand Development Fund will not be used to directly promote your Shop or the marketing area in which your Shop will be located. (Franchise Agreement, Article 9.A.). We may use the Brand Development Fund to develop and test various media and technologies for potential use and/or improvement of the operations of Shops and the marketing of Shops. These technology developments and/or improvements may relate, among other things, to our website and to the interaction and potential enhancement of web offerings that may or may not be implemented on behalf of Shops. You may or may not benefit from these technology developments and improvements. The Brand Development Fund will be uniformly imposed upon all franchisees. (Franchise Agreement, Article 9.A.).

Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 31–38)