For what purposes may Deer Solution use the Brand Development Fund?
Deer_Solution Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
of weekly Gross Sales to the Brand Development Fund. We may use the Brand Development Fund for market studies, research, service development, product development, testing, research studies, technology development, advertising and public relations studies or services, creative production and printing of advertising and marketing materials, advertising copy and commercials, tracking costs, agency fees, administrative costs, which may include reimbursement for direct administrative and personnel costs associated with advertising and public relations, and any other costs associated with the development, marketing and testing of advertising, marketing and public relations materials, and the purchase of media placement, advertising time and public relations materials in national, regional or other advertising and public relations media in a manner determined by us, in our discretion, to be in the best interest of the franchisees and the System. Our company and/or affiliate owned Deer Solution Businesses may but are not required to contribute to the Brand Development Fund. The Brand Development Fund will be required to maintain unaudited financial records detailing its expenditures and will make available to you (no more frequently than one time in any 12 month period) an unaudited accounting of how the monies contributed to the Brand Development Fund were spent each year. We are not required to segregate the Brand Development Fund from our general operating funds and we are not a fiduciary or trustee of the Brand Development Fund. The Brand Development Fund will not be used to directly promote your Deer Solution Business or the marketing area in which your Deer Solution Business will be located. (Franchise Agreement, Article 9.A.). We may utilize the Brand Development Fund to develop and test various media and technologies for potential utilization and/or improvement of the operations of Deer Solution Businesses and the marketing of Deer Solution Businesses. These technology developments and/or improvements may relate, among other things, to our website and to the interaction and potential enhancement of web offerings that may or may not be implemented on behalf of Deer Solution Businesses. You may or may not benefit from these technology developments and improvements. (Franchise Agreement, Article 9.A.).
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 29–35)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Deer Solution's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Brand Development Fund can be used for a variety of purposes related to marketing, advertising, and development of the Deer Solution brand. Specifically, Deer Solution may use the fund for market studies, research, service and product development, testing, and advertising and public relations studies or services. This includes the creation and printing of advertising and marketing materials, advertising copy and commercials, and tracking costs.
Deer Solution can also use the Brand Development Fund to cover agency fees and administrative costs, which may include direct administrative and personnel costs associated with advertising and public relations. The fund can be used for any other costs associated with the development, marketing, and testing of advertising, marketing, and public relations materials. Additionally, the fund can be used for the purchase of media placement, advertising time, and public relations materials in national, regional, or other advertising and public relations media. These activities are to be conducted in a manner determined by Deer Solution, at its discretion, to be in the best interest of the franchisees and the Deer Solution system.
Furthermore, Deer Solution may use the Brand Development Fund to develop and test various media and technologies for potential utilization and/or improvement of the operations of Deer Solution Businesses and the marketing of Deer Solution Businesses. These technology developments and/or improvements may relate to the Deer Solution website and to the interaction and potential enhancement of web offerings that may or may not be implemented on behalf of Deer Solution Businesses. Deer Solution may also use the Brand Development Fund to compensate themselves for administrative fees associated with managing the Brand Development Fund and for their internal employee salaries, expenses and overhead associated with or reasonably allocated to managing the activities of the Brand Development Fund and performing services on behalf of the Brand Development Fund including, but not limited to, directing, developing, and managing media of the Brand Development Fund.
It is important to note that the Brand Development Fund will not be used to directly promote an individual franchisee's Deer Solution Business or the marketing area in which their business is located. While the advertising, marketing, and brand development materials developed, including the System website, may contain basic information as to the availability of Deer Solution Business franchises for sale and contact information for franchise inquiries, the fund is not used to directly market the sale of Deer Solution Business franchises.