After termination of the City Publications franchise agreement, what is the franchisee required to do with advertising materials?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
cifications in connection with the same. With regard to any social media accounts maintained by Franchisee or its principal owners, such accounts shall identify Franchisee and its principal owner(s) as franchisees of Franchisor herein, Upon the termination or expiration of this Franchise Agreement, all social media activities of Franchisee relating to City Publications, whether on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram , LinkedIn, NextDoor or otherwise, shall immediately cease. In the event that Franchisee fails to do so, Franchisee shall be fined $1000 per month until resolved. In the event Franchisor approves an independent Franchisee website, Franchisor may require that such site shall be accessed only through Franchisor's home page.
D. Internet Communications
Franchisee shall not use any domain name or other identification except the domain name provided by the Franchisor for e-mail and other electronic communications for the franchise. All materials provided by the franchisee to the advertisers and prospects must meet the criteria set by the Franchisor. Any advertising via e-mail must be approved by the Franchisor. It is further agreed that from time to time, Franchisee may receive email addresses of residents within Franchisee's Exclusive Territory.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 39–129)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Publications' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement, franchisees must cease all social media activities related to City Publications. This includes platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and NextDoor. Failure to comply results in a fine of $1,000 per month until the issue is resolved.
Additionally, franchisees are prohibited from using any domain name other than the one provided by City Publications for email and other electronic communications. All materials provided to advertisers and prospects must meet City Publications' criteria, and any email advertising requires approval from City Publications. Any email address lists of residents within the franchisee's exclusive territory belong to City Publications, and the franchisee cannot use them without express approval. City Publications has the right to manage any email communication to those residents on behalf of the franchisee, with the franchisee compensating City Publications for these services.
These stipulations ensure that City Publications maintains control over its brand and marketing efforts, even after a franchise agreement ends. This is a fairly standard practice in franchising, as franchisors need to protect their brand identity and customer relationships. The financial penalty for non-compliance incentivizes franchisees to promptly adhere to these post-termination requirements.