With what marks must Christies International Real Estate franchisees use the Marks in combination?
Christies_International_Real_Estate Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
For instance, you are not permitted to use any Marks that consist of or incorporate "CHRISTIE'S" in any manner other than in the phrase "CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE." In addition, you are required to market, hold out and otherwise position the Marks as a leading luxury brand, and you must not market, hold out or otherwise position any other trademarks or other commercial symbols as being associated with additional or more luxury real estate brokerage services,or additional or more luxury real estate properties than those offered, marketed or sold under the Marks. You must use the Marks in combination with your marks, which will be set forth in Section 7 of Exhibit 1 of the License Agreement.
Source: Item 13 — TRADEMARKS (FDD pages 38–40)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Christies International Real Estate Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must use the Christies International Real Estate Marks in combination with their own marks. The franchisee's marks, which must be used in conjunction with the Christies International Real Estate Marks, will be specified in Section 7 of Exhibit 1 of the License Agreement.
This requirement means that franchisees cannot use the Christies International Real Estate Marks in isolation. They must always be presented alongside the franchisee's own branding. This dual-branding approach is common in franchising, allowing franchisees to leverage the established brand recognition of the franchisor while still maintaining some local identity.
However, Christies International Real Estate franchisees do not have complete freedom in how they use the Marks. The FDD states that franchisees must market and position the Marks as a leading luxury brand and cannot associate other trademarks with a higher level of luxury. Furthermore, franchisees are prohibited from using the Marks as part of their corporate name or modifying the Marks in any way. These restrictions are in place to protect the integrity and consistency of the Christies International Real Estate brand. Prospective franchisees should carefully review the License Agreement and Operations Manual to fully understand the specific requirements and limitations regarding trademark usage.