What are 'Marks' in the context of a Belocal franchise?
Belocal Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
[Item 22: CONTRACTS]
8. USE OF MARKS AND COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS
Franchisor hereby grants Franchisee a limited license to use the Marks and Copyrighted Materials designated by Franchisor, solely for the purpose of operating, advertising, and promoting the Franchised Business, as contemplated by this Agreement. Franchisee further expressly agrees that:
- A. Franchisor is the lawful owner or licensee of the Marks and the Copyrighted Materials. Franchisee's interest in the Marks and the Copyrighted Materials is solely that of a licensee, and all goodwill attributable to the use of the Marks with respect to the Franchised Business shall accrue to the benefit of Franchisor. Franchisee disclaims any proprietary interest in any of the Marks and the Copyrighted Materials.
- B. Franchisee shall not use the name of any N2 publication or any of Franchisor's Marks or trade names, including the specific Marks "BELOCAL," "N2," "N2 Publishing," "Hyport Digital," or any abbreviation, acronym, or variation of those words as part of Franchisee's name, as part of any business entity in which Franchisee owns or holds an interest, or as part of any Online Presence (including any Internet, Web address, or email domain name or URL). Franchisee must submit to Franchisor for approval, in writing, Franchisee's proposed entity name, and Franchisee shall not name its entity using any name that is not approved by Franchisor.
- C. Franchisee shall use the Marks in the precise form that Franchisor prescribes and shall observe Franchisor's directions regarding the presentation, display, and use of the Marks and the use, copying, and distribution of the Copyrighted Materials. Franchisee shall not fail to perform any act required under this Agreement, or commit any act which would impair the value of the Marks or the goodwill
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 71)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Belocal Franchise Disclosure Document, "Marks" refer to the trademarks, trade names, service marks, emblems, and indicia of origin used by Belocal in connection with the operation of the Franchised Business. These marks are part of Belocal's Confidential Information.
Belocal retains ownership and control over these Marks. As a franchisee, you are granted a limited license to use the Marks solely for operating, advertising, and promoting your franchised business. This means you can't use the Belocal Marks as part of your own name or any business entity you own without written approval from Belocal. You must also use the Marks in the precise form that Belocal prescribes and follow their directions on presentation, display, and use.
The franchise agreement emphasizes that franchisees cannot perform any action that would impair the value of the Marks or the associated goodwill. Upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement, franchisees must assign to Belocal all telephone numbers, directory listings, email addresses, and online presences that use the Marks. This ensures Belocal maintains control over its brand identity and customer communications.