What is a Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchisee prohibited from posting or transmitting via electronic media?
Benjamin_Franklin_Plumbing Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Electronic Marketing and Electronic Communications. The use of any digital or electronic medium constitutes advertising and promotion subject to our approval. Unless we have agreed to it in writing, you may not use, register, maintain, or sponsor any website, URL, social media, blog, messaging system, email account, username, text address, mobile application, or other digital, electronic, mobile or internet presence that uses or displays any of our trademarks (or any derivative thereof) or that promotes any products or services of the Franchised Business. You may not, directly or indirectly, post or transmit advertisements or solicitations by telephone, e-mail, text message, instant message, website, social media, mobile apps, VoIP, streaming media, or other electronic media that are inconsistent with our brand advertising guidelines and standards. The brand advertising standards may include the use of disclaimers, warnings, and other statements that we prescribe. You are responsible for ensuring that your employees understand the policies relating to the use of social media and you are responsible for your employees' use of social media in accordance with such policies. We have the right to require that social media accounts, profiles, pages, and registrations that primarily promote the Marks or your Franchised Business be registered in our name. For any such accounts that we permit to be registered in your name, you agree to provide us with the current login credentials within five days after opening the account or changing the credentials. We have the rights to: (i) access any social media accounts to take corrective action if the account or any postings are in violation of our policies; and (ii) take ownership of the accounts on expiration or termination of the Franchise Agreement and operate them thereafter as we see fit. We may offer to provide, or may require that you have, a website for your Franchised Business (which may be structured as a separate page of a website supported by the Brand Fund).
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 46–57)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Benjamin Franklin Plumbing's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are restricted in the types of electronic communications they can disseminate. Unless specifically approved in writing by Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, franchisees cannot use, register, maintain, or sponsor any digital presence that uses Benjamin Franklin Plumbing's trademarks or promotes the franchise's products or services. This includes websites, URLs, social media, blogs, messaging systems, email accounts, usernames, text addresses, mobile applications, or other digital or internet presences.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchisees are prohibited from directly or indirectly posting or transmitting advertisements or solicitations through various electronic channels if these are inconsistent with the brand's advertising guidelines and standards. These channels include telephone, e-mail, text message, instant message, websites, social media, mobile apps, VoIP, or streaming media. The brand advertising standards may include specific disclaimers, warnings, and other statements prescribed by Benjamin Franklin Plumbing.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing retains significant control over the franchisee's online presence and communications to ensure brand consistency and compliance. Franchisees are responsible for ensuring their employees understand and adhere to these social media policies. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing has the right to require social media accounts promoting the brand to be registered in their name and can access these accounts to take corrective action if policies are violated. Furthermore, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing can take ownership of these accounts upon expiration or termination of the franchise agreement.