For what activities does Big Blue Swim School use the Brand Fund?
Big_Blue_Swim_School Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
for that Calculation Period.
We will direct all programs the Brand Fund finances, with sole control over and ownership of all creative and business aspects of the Fund's activities. The Brand Fund may pay for, among other things, preparing, producing, and placing video, audio, and written materials, digital marketing, and Social Media; developing, maintaining, and administering one or more System Websites; administering national, regional, and multi-regional marketing and advertising programs, including purchasing trade journal, direct mail, and other media advertising and using advertising, promotion, and marketing agencies and other advisors to provide assistance; implementing and supporting franchisees' local market introduction programs; establishing regional and national promotions and partnerships and hiring spokespersons to promote the BIG BLUE Swim School brand; supporting public relations, market research, and other advertising, promotion, marketing, and brand-related activities; creating and implementing customersatisfaction surveys; organizing and hosting franchisee conferences, conventions, and meetings; and supporting and hosting charitable or nonprofit events and community-based activities.
The Brand Fund may advertise locally, regionally, and/or nationally in printed and on other tangible materials, on radio or television, and/or on the Internet, as we think best. We and/or an outside regional or national advertising agency will produce all advertising and marketing. The Brand Fund periodically may give you sample Marketing Materials at no cost. We may sell you multiple copies of Marketing Materials at our direct production costs, plus any related shipping, handling, and storage charges.
We will account for the Brand Fund separately from our other funds (although we need not keep Brand Fund contributions in a separate bank account) and will not use the Brand Fund for any of our general operating expenses. However, the Brand Fund may reimburse us and our affiliates for the reasonable salaries and benefits of personnel who manage and administer, or
otherwise provide assistance or services to, the Brand Fund; the Brand Fund's administrative costs;
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 37–51)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Big Blue Swim School's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Brand Fund is used to enhance, promote, and protect the Big Blue Swim School brand and franchise system. The franchisor has sole control over the Brand Fund's activities.
The Brand Fund may be used for preparing, producing, and placing video, audio, and written materials, digital marketing, and social media. It also covers developing, maintaining, and administering the System Websites, administering national, regional, and multi-regional marketing and advertising programs, including purchasing trade journal, direct mail, and other media advertising. The fund also pays for using advertising, promotion, and marketing agencies and other advisors to provide assistance, implementing and supporting franchisees' local market introduction programs, establishing regional and national promotions and partnerships, and hiring spokespersons to promote the Big Blue Swim School brand.
Additionally, the Brand Fund supports public relations, market research, and other advertising, promotion, marketing, and brand-related activities. It is also used for creating and implementing customer-satisfaction surveys, organizing and hosting franchisee conferences, conventions, and meetings, and supporting and hosting charitable or nonprofit events and community-based activities. The franchisor states that it will try to use the Brand Fund in the aggregate to develop and implement Marketing Materials and programs benefiting all Big Blue Swim Schools, but they do not need to ensure that Brand Fund expenditures in or affecting any geographic area are proportionate or equivalent to Brand Fund contributions by Big Blue Swim Schools operating in that geographic area or that any Big Blue Swim School benefits directly or in proportion to its Brand Fund contribution from the development of Marketing Materials or the implementation of programs.