For Crowne Plaza, can consent to display or use the other party's trademarks be revoked, and if so, how?
Crowne_Plaza Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Neither Customer nor Company will make use of the other's trademarks or logos (either alone or in conjunction with their or another party's trademarks or logos) without the prior written consent of that party, and Customer will not make use of any of the Bottler's trademarks or logos (either alone or in conjunction with their or another party's trademarks or logos) without the prior written consent of the Bottler, and all use of the other party's trademarks will inure to the benefit of trademark owner. For purposes of this Agreement, Company's and Customer's trademarks include trademarks owned, licensed to or controlled by an entity in which Company or Customer, respectively, has a 50% or more ownership interest. Each Party agrees that its approval will not be withheld or delayed unless (i) Customer determines that a Customer Mark has been used incorrectly for technical reasons (i.e., lack of trademark conformity) or (ii) Customer reasonably determines that the proposed activity or use would reflect negatively on Customer or the Participating System Hotels.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 100–424)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Crowne Plaza FDD, neither the customer nor the company can use the other's trademarks or logos without prior written consent. This applies whether the trademarks are used alone or in conjunction with other trademarks. Specifically, the customer cannot use the bottler's trademarks without the bottler's prior written consent. All use of the other party's trademarks will benefit the trademark owner.
For the agreement, the company's and customer's trademarks include those owned, licensed, or controlled by an entity in which the company or customer has a 50% or more ownership interest. Approval can be withheld if the customer determines that a Customer Mark has been used incorrectly for technical reasons, such as a lack of trademark conformity. Additionally, approval can be withheld if the customer reasonably determines that the proposed activity or use would reflect negatively on the customer or the Participating System Hotels.
This clause ensures that both Crowne Plaza and its partners maintain control over their brand image and are protected from misuse of their trademarks. It also allows for the prevention of trademark use that could be technically incorrect or damaging to the brand's reputation. This is a fairly standard practice in franchising, as franchisors need to protect their trademarks while allowing franchisees to benefit from them.