Which affiliate of Belocal owns the trademarks used with BELOCAL publications?
Belocal Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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Our affiliate, The N2 Company, has several Marks which are used with BELOCAL publications or Test Publications. Our affiliate has obtained registrations with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") for some of these Marks and has applied for registration for others. The N2 Company intends to renew the registrations and file all appropriate affidavits for these Marks at the appropriate times, as required by law. The N2 Company has filed the required affidavit and renewed the N2 PUBLISHING trademark below.
| Mark | Register | Registration | Registration Date | |---|---|---|---| | | | Number | | | BELOCAL (Word) | Principal | 5033119 | August 30, 2016 | | N2 PUBLISHING (Design) | Principal | 4095430 | February 7, 2012 | | HYPORT DIGITAL (Word) | Principal | 7476604 | August 13, 2024 | | MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS (Word) | Supplemental | 5515824 | July 10, 2018 | | UNIQUELY YOU! | Principal | 7807908 | May 27, 2025 |
| Mark | Register | Registration | Registration Date | |---|---|---|---| | | | Number | | | | Principal | 7856280 | July 8, 2025 | We do not have a federal registration for our principal trademark in the chart below. Therefore, our trademark does not have many legal benefits and rights as federally registered trademarks. If our right to use the trademark is challenged, you may have to change to an alternative trademark, which may increase your expenses.
| Mark | Register | Serial Number | Application Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salute | No application has been made to the USPTO. |
Source: Item 13 — TRADEMARKS (FDD pages 44–46)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the trademarks used with BELOCAL publications are owned by The N2 Company, an affiliate of Belocal. Specifically, The N2 Company has registered some of these marks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and has applied for registration for others. The N2 Company is responsible for renewing the registrations and filing necessary affidavits as required by law, and has already renewed the N2 PUBLISHING trademark.
This arrangement means that Belocal franchisees are using trademarks that are not directly owned by Belocal itself but are licensed to Belocal by its affiliate, The N2 Company. Belocal secures its right to use these trademarks through a non-exclusive, perpetual license with The N2 Company, known as the Intercompany License. This license grants Belocal the right to use the marks and proprietary information for franchising purposes.
The Intercompany License is perpetual but can be terminated if Belocal materially breaches the agreement and fails to remedy the breach within 90 days of notice. Both Belocal and The N2 Company can also mutually agree to modify the license terms. However, the termination of this license will not affect the validity of any existing Franchise Agreements, provided the franchisee is not in default.
As a prospective franchisee, it's important to understand the relationship between Belocal and The N2 Company regarding trademark usage. While the current agreement appears stable, any potential changes or termination of the Intercompany License could impact the trademarks available for use in the franchise. Therefore, it would be prudent to inquire about the long-term stability of this licensing agreement and any potential risks associated with it.