Under the Belocal franchise agreement, what specific section outlines the obligations related to the System and Marks?
Belocal Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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 reg
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 71)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, section 8 of Item 22, titled "USE OF MARKS AND COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS," outlines the franchisee's obligations related to the System and Marks. This section grants the franchisee a limited license to use Belocal's Marks and Copyrighted Materials for operating, advertising, and promoting the franchised business.
The agreement explicitly states that Belocal owns or licenses the Marks and Copyrighted Materials, and any goodwill generated through their use benefits Belocal. The franchisee's interest is solely that of a licensee, and they cannot claim any proprietary interest in the Marks or Copyrighted Materials. Furthermore, the franchisee must use the Marks precisely as prescribed by Belocal and adhere to Belocal's directions regarding their use.
Specifically, franchisees cannot use Belocal's Marks or trade names, including "BELOCAL," "N2," "N2 Publishing," and "Hyport Digital," or variations thereof, as part of their entity name or online presence without written approval from Belocal. This includes domain names and URLs. These stipulations ensure brand consistency and protect Belocal's intellectual property rights.
Additionally, the FDD states that franchisees cannot establish or operate an online presence that concerns the franchisor, the Marks, the System, the Publication, any N2 publication, or the Franchised Business without consent from Belocal. If consent is granted, the franchisee must adhere to Belocal's policies. Belocal retains the right to revoke any approval for an online presence and owns the copyrights to all material on any online presence, although they are not obligated to monitor the content. This control over online presence and brand representation is a crucial aspect of maintaining brand integrity and managing public perception.