Who retains the sole right to market on the Internet for City Publications?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We have established and maintain an Internet website at www.citypublication.com that provides information about the CITY PUBLICATIONS System and the services that you and we provide. We will establish a website for your Franchised Business with a link to our website. You are responsible for maintaining the website created for your Franchised Business. We may (but are not required to) include an interior page at our website about your Franchised Business. If we include information about your Franchised Business on our website, we may require you to prepare all or a portion of the page at your expense using our template. We review and approve all information you prepare prior to posting it. We retain 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. You may be required to provide content for our Internet marketing. You must follow our intranet and Internet usage rules, policies and requirements. We retain 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, digital marketing, social
media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and any co-branding and other arrangements. We retain the sole right to approve any linking or other use of our website. You may not establish a presence on, or market using, the Internet for the Franchised Business unless you first obtain our consent. If we approve your independent website, we may require that your site may only be accessed through our home page. (Section 11.D)
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 19–24)
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, digital marketing, and social media platforms.
This means that as a City Publications franchisee, you are significantly restricted in your ability to independently market the franchise on the internet. While City Publications will establish a website for your franchised business with a link to their main website, your control over online marketing is limited. You may be required to provide content for City Publications' internet marketing efforts and must adhere to their intranet and internet usage rules.
Furthermore, the FDD states that you cannot establish a presence on, or market using, the Internet for the Franchised Business without first obtaining City Publications' consent. If they do approve an independent website for you, they may require that it can only be accessed through their home page. This highlights the importance of understanding and adhering to City Publications' internet marketing policies, as your online presence will be heavily controlled by the franchisor.