What is Craters & Freighters' role in franchisee marketing and advertising materials?
Craters_Freighters Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The Marketing Fund will be used exclusively for the purpose of promoting the System. We may expend Marketing Fund monies towards the creation, production, and/or placement of advertising in local, regional, or national media including, but not limited to, broadcast, print, electronic, direct mail, radio, television, or other media), developing promotional materials, and undertaking public relations activities on behalf of the entire System or on behalf of a particular portion of the System. The Marketing Fund may also be used to meet any and all costs of maintaining, administering, directing, and preparing marketing, advertising, and promotional efforts and programs including, but not limited to: direct mail advertising; local, regional, and national promotions; call centers; market research; public relations activities; developing and maintaining Franchisor's Website and franchisee geosites (including your Geosite); employing marketing, advertising, and public relations agencies (including the payment of commissions); purchasing promotional items; attending trade shows; providing other marketing materials and services to franchised businesses operating under the System; and other marketing, advertising, and promotional activities. These costs may include the proportionate salary share of employees of ours or any Affiliate of ours who devote time and render services for marketing, advertising, or promotion, or the administration of the Marketing Fund; such costs may include administrative costs, salaries, and overhead expenses. No part of the Marketing Fund will be used by us to defray any of our general operating expenses, other than those reasonably allocable to the marketing, advertising, or promotional activities described here or other activities reasonably related to the administration or direction of the Marketing Fund. We, any Affiliate of ours, and our authorized representatives may be reimbursed from the Marketing Fund for administrative costs, independent audits, reasonable accounting, bookkeeping, reporting and legal expenses, taxes and all other reasonable direct or indirect expenses that we, any Affiliate of ours, and our authorized representatives may incur relating to programs funded by the Marketing Fund.
The Marketing Fund is intended to maximize the general brand recognition of the System, and we are not obligated to expend Marketing Fund monies on your behalf or benefit or to expend Marketing Fund monies equivalent or proportionate to your contributions on your behalf or benefit. We do not guarantee that advertising expenditures from the Marketing Fund will benefit you or any other franchisee directly, on a pro rata basis, or at all. We do not derive revenue or any other material consideration as a result of your contributions to the Marketing Fund. We are not required to spend an amount from the Marketing Fund on local marketing or advertising in your Territory or the territory of any franchisee within our System. We do not spend any of funds collected by the Marketing Fund on directly soliciting new franchisees.
Any unused funds in any calendar year will be applied to the following year's funds, and we reserve the right to contribute or loan additional funds to the Marketing Fund on any terms we deem reasonable. Since the Marketing Fund is not audited, audited financial statements are not available to franchisees. Upon request, we will make available to you an annual accounting for the Marketing Fund that shows how the Marketing Fund proceeds have been spent for the previous year.
During our last fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, expenditures from the Marketing Fund were as follows: 2.6% on production, 81.5% on media placement, 3.5% on administrative expenses, and 12.4% on other expenditures relating to network sales and support, network software and hosting expenses, and network telephone supporting services.
We are not required to spend an amount on advertising in the territory where you are or will be located. We do not have any local or regional advertising cooperatives. We may designate any geographic area in which two or more Craters & Freighters outlets are located as a region for establishing a Cooperative. The members of the Cooperative for any area will consist of all Craters & Freighters outlets, whether franchised or operated by
us or our Affiliates. We will determine in advance how each Cooperative will be organized and governed and when it must commence operations. Accordingly, we do not currently have any governing documents available for review. Each Cooperative will be organized for the sole purposes of administering advertising programs and developing, subject to our approval, promotional materials for use by the members in local advertising.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 22–29)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Craters & Freighters Franchise Disclosure Document, Craters & Freighters plays several key roles related to marketing and advertising. Craters & Freighters administers a Marketing Fund, which is funded by franchisee contributions and used for promoting the Craters & Freighters system. These funds can be used for various advertising efforts such as local, regional, or national media placements, promotional materials, and public relations activities. Craters & Freighters may also use a professional advertising agency or media buyer to assist in these efforts. During the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, the Marketing Fund expenditures were allocated as follows: 2.6% on production, 81.5% on media placement, 3.5% on administrative expenses, and 12.4% on other expenditures.
Craters & Freighters also manages the franchisee geosites and has the sole right to market on the Internet using its trademarks. Franchisees must obtain written approval from Craters & Freighters before registering any domain name containing Craters & Freighters' trademarks or participating in any website or electronic media marketing using those trademarks. Franchisees are allowed to develop their own advertising media, but it must comply with Craters & Freighters' branding and system standards, and requires prior written approval from Craters & Freighters.
Additionally, Craters & Freighters may establish and manage advertising cooperatives. If a cooperative exists in the franchisee's geographic area, the franchisee must become a member and adhere to its rules. These cooperatives are designed to administer advertising programs and develop promotional materials, subject to Craters & Freighters' approval. Cooperative fees cannot exceed 1% of Adjusted Gross Sales, and Craters & Freighters-owned outlets contribute on the same basis as franchisees. Craters & Freighters reserves the right to form, change, dissolve, or merge any Cooperative at any time. Craters & Freighters will review and approve (or reject) marketing and advertising materials proposed by a franchisee.