What are some examples of expenses the Big Blue Swim School Brand Fund may pay for?
Big_Blue_Swim_School Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 37–51)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Big Blue Swim School Franchise Disclosure Document, the Brand Fund is used to enhance the Big Blue Swim School brand and franchise system. Franchisees are required to contribute to the Brand Fund, with the current contribution set at 2% of the School's Gross Revenue, but it can be up to 3%. Until the number of franchised Big Blue Swim School locations equals the number of company-owned locations, the company-owned locations only need to match the contributions made by the franchisees. After that, the company-owned locations will contribute the same percentage as the franchisees, but no more than the highest-contributing franchisee.
The Brand Fund is controlled solely by Big Blue Swim School, giving them ownership of all creative and business aspects of the fund's activities. The Brand Fund can be used for a variety of advertising, marketing, and promotional activities. These activities are intended to maximize recognition of the Big Blue Swim School brand, increase customer traffic to the swim schools, and protect the brand's reputation.
Specifically, the Brand Fund may be used to cover expenses such as preparing and placing video, audio, and written marketing materials, digital marketing, and social media. It can also be used to develop and maintain the System Websites, administer marketing and advertising programs on a national, regional, or multi-regional level, including purchasing various forms of media advertising, and hiring agencies and advisors. Additional expenses covered by the Brand Fund include implementing local market introduction programs for franchisees, establishing promotions and partnerships, hiring spokespersons, supporting public relations, conducting market research, creating customer satisfaction surveys, organizing franchisee events, and supporting charitable activities.