After the termination or expiration of a Bumper Man franchise agreement, is a franchisee allowed to use any marks associated with the Bumper Man business?
Bumper_Man Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- (b) Marks. Franchisee may not directly or indirectly at any time or in any manner use any Mark, including any use of Marks in a derogatory, negative, or other inappropriate manner in any media, including, but not limited to, print or electronic media; use any colorable imitation of a Mark in any manner or for any purpose; utilize for any purpose any trade name, trade or service mark or other commercial symbol or other indicia that indicates or suggests a connection or association with Franchisor or the Bumper Business; identify any business as a former Bumper Business; or identify itself as one of Franchisor's licensees or franchisees. Franchisee will take such action as may be required to cancel all fictitious or assumed names or equivalent registrations, if any, relating to its use of any Mark.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 45–180)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bumper Man's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are prohibited from using any Bumper Man marks after the termination or expiration of their franchise agreement. The FDD states that a franchisee cannot directly or indirectly use any mark in any manner, including derogatory or inappropriate ways, in any media.
This restriction extends to using any imitation of a Bumper Man mark or any trade name, service mark, or commercial symbol that suggests an association with Bumper Man. Franchisees also cannot identify their business as a former Bumper Man business or themselves as a former franchisee.
To ensure compliance, franchisees must cancel any assumed names or registrations related to the use of any Bumper Man mark. This provision is designed to protect Bumper Man's brand identity and prevent confusion in the marketplace after a franchise relationship ends. Franchisees need to be aware of these restrictions to avoid potential legal issues after their franchise agreement concludes.