Does City Publications retain the sole right to advertise on the Internet?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ooperative advertising. Additionally, Franchisee may, with other franchisees, elect among themselves to establish cooperative advertising for a select area encompassing their mutual Exclusive territories.
C. Internet Advertising
Franchisor has established and maintains an Internet website at the uniform resource locator ("URL") www.citypublication.com that provides information about the CITY PUBLICATIONS System and the services that Franchisor and its franchisees provide. Franchisor shall establish a website for the Franchised Business and a link between such website and the CITY PUBLICATIONS website. Franchisee is solely responsible for the maintenance of the website for the Franchised Business. Franchisor may (but is not required to) include at the CITY PUBLICATIONS website an interior page containing information about the Franchised Business. If Franchisor includes such information on the CITY PUBLICATIONS website, Franchisor may require Franchisee to prepare all or a portion of the page, at Franchisee's expense, using a template that Franchisor provides. All such information shall be subject to Franchisor's approval prior to posting. Franchisor retains the sole right to market on the Internet, including all use of websites, domain names, URL's, linking, meta-tags, marketing, auction sites, e-commerce and co-branding arrangements. Franchisee may be requested to provide Franchisor content for Franchisor's Internet marketing and shall be required to follow Franchisor's Intranet and Internet usage rules, policies and requirements. Franchisor retains the sole right to use the Marks on the Internet, including on websites, as domain names, directory addresses, search terms, meta-tags, and in connection with linking, marketing, cobranding and other arrangements, as well as social media and any digital marketing platform, Franchisor retains the sole right to approve any linking or other use of the CITY PUBLICATIONS website. Franchisee may not establish a presence
on, or market using, the Internet, including social media, in connection with the Franchised Business unless Franchisee has obtained Franchisor's express prior written consent and subject to Franchisor's specifications in connection with the same.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 39–129)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Publications' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, City Publications retains the sole right to market on the Internet. This includes all use of websites, domain names, URLs, linking, meta-tags, marketing, auction sites, e-commerce, and co-branding arrangements. City Publications also retains the sole right to use the Marks on the Internet, including on websites, as domain names, directory addresses, search terms, meta-tags, and in connection with linking, marketing, co-branding and other arrangements, as well as social media and any digital marketing platform. City Publications retains the sole right to approve any linking or other use of the CITY PUBLICATIONS website.
This means that while franchisees may have their own website for their franchised business, they must adhere to City Publications' rules and policies for Internet usage. Franchisees may be asked to provide content for City Publications' Internet marketing efforts. They are also required to follow City Publications' Intranet and Internet usage rules, policies, and requirements.
Furthermore, franchisees cannot establish an Internet site using a domain name or URL containing any of City Publications' Marks or the words "CITY PUBLICATIONS" without prior written consent from City Publications. City Publications retains the sole right to advertise on the Internet and create a website using the "CITY PUBLICATIONS" domain name or any other domain name City Publications designates in the Manual or any domain name containing any of the Marks. This ensures that City Publications maintains control over its brand and online presence.
In practical terms, a City Publications franchisee has limited control over the brand's online marketing and advertising. While they can maintain a website for their specific franchise, they must adhere to the franchisor's guidelines and cannot independently use the brand's name or trademarks in domain names or URLs without permission. This is a common practice in franchising, allowing the franchisor to maintain a consistent brand image and marketing strategy across all franchise locations.