Is Belocal required to spend any money to advertise a franchisee's Belocal Franchised Business?
Belocal Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We are not required to spend any money to advertise your Franchised Business, the Publication, or the BELOCAL brand generally. We are not required to spend any money for advertising in your Territory. If we choose to conduct any advertising related to the Franchised Business, the Publication, or the BELOCAL brand generally, we may use any media we choose, any source we choose (an in-house team, or local, regional, or national companies) and have total discretion to select the coverage (local, regional, or national).
You must obtain our prior approval for all advertising and promotional plans and materials that you desire to use to promote your Franchised Business and that we have not prepared or previously approved. You may only use advertising materials that you create, or have created for you, if we determine that these materials and the proposed use of these materials meet our standards. We reserve the right to disapprove at
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 37–42)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Belocal is not required to spend any money to advertise a franchisee's Belocal Franchised Business. Belocal is not obligated to allocate funds for advertising a franchisee's business, the publication, or the Belocal brand in general, including within the franchisee's specific territory.
However, if Belocal chooses to conduct any advertising related to the franchised business, the publication, or the Belocal brand, it has the discretion to use any media and source it deems appropriate, including an in-house team or local, regional, or national companies. Belocal also has total discretion in selecting the coverage area for such advertising, whether it be local, regional, or national.
Belocal franchisees must obtain prior approval for all advertising and promotional plans and materials they intend to use to promote their franchised business, especially if Belocal has not prepared or previously approved them. Franchisees can only use advertising materials they create or have created for them if Belocal determines that these materials and their proposed use meet its standards. Belocal reserves the right to disapprove any plans and materials, even if previously approved, and franchisees must promptly discontinue using such materials upon notice from Belocal.