What is the purpose of the Fund established and maintained by Degree Wellness?
Degree_Wellness Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
roups that may have additional costs to you should you decide to participate.
Advertising by Us – Brand Fund
We currently administer a brand development fund (the "Fund") for the benefit of the entire System of Studio. We use the Fund to meet certain costs related to maintaining, administering, directing, conducting and preparing advertising, marketing, public relations, and/or promotional programs and materials, and any other activities which we believe will enhance the image of the System. We require all Degree Wellness Studios to contribute 1% of their gross revenues to the Fund. All Degree Wellness Studio will be required to contribute to the Fund on the same basis as you, respectively, unless prohibited by law. Your required Fund contribution may be increased to
an amount equal to up to two percent (2%) of the gross revenues generated by your Studio upon 60 days' prior written notice of such an increase via the Manuals or otherwise in writing. Other franchised and affiliate-owned Studio will contribute to the Fund in the same amount and manner as franchised Studio subject only to limitations under applicable law.
We will administer and direct all programs financed by the Fund, and will have sole discretion over the creative concepts, materials, endorsements and media used by the Fund, and the geographic, market, and allocation of the Fund. We have the right to determine, in our sole discretion, the composition of all geographic territories and market areas for the development and implementation of such programs. The Fund may be used to pay any and all costs of maintaining, administering, directing, and preparing national, regional or local advertising materials, programs, research, development, creative and marketing activities, including, without limitation, (a) costs for preparing and conducting television, radio, magazine, billboard, newspaper, internet and other media programs and activities, (b) costs associated with conducting marketing research, (c) costs associated with website development, maintenance, hosting and marketing, including without limitation, search engine optimization and social media, (d) administering regional and multiregional advertising programs, including, without limitation, purchasing direct mail and other media advertising, (e) employing advertising, program and marketing agencies, and vendors providing marketing services, (f) development, implementation and maintenance of online asset management tools, (g) marketing and advertising training programs and materials, and (h) costs for providing promotional brochures and advertising templates and materials to Degree Wellness Studio franchises. Advertising materials developed or produced by the Fund may include video, audio, and written advertising materials, which will be prepared by our in-house marketing department. The Fund will furnish you with approved advertising materials at its direct cost of producing those advertising materials. Amounts contributed to the Fund may be used to place advertising in television, radio, newspaper, or other media as solely determined by us. We will use 0% of the Fund contributions for advertising that is principally a solicitation for the sale of franchises.
The Fund will be accounted for separately from our other funds and will not be used to pay any of our general operating expenses, except for salaries, administrative costs, and overhead that we incur in activities reasonably related to the administration of the Fund and its marketing programs, including preparing advertising and marketing materials, and collecting and accounting for contributions to the Fund. We may spend in any fiscal year an amount greater or less than the aggregate contributions to the Fund in that year, and the Fund may borrow from us or other lenders to cover the Fund'
Source: Item 11 — Franchisor's Assistance, Advertising, Computer Systems, and Training (FDD pages 32–42)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Degree Wellness's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the brand development fund (the "Fund") is administered for the benefit of the entire Degree Wellness System of Studios. Degree Wellness uses the Fund to cover costs related to maintaining, administering, directing, conducting, and preparing advertising, marketing, public relations, and/or promotional programs and materials. These activities are intended to enhance the image of the Degree Wellness System.
Degree Wellness requires all studios to contribute 1% of their gross revenues to the Fund, although this contribution may be increased to a maximum of 2% with 60 days' prior written notice. All Degree Wellness Studios are required to contribute to the Fund on the same basis, unless prohibited by law. The Fund is accounted for separately from Degree Wellness's other funds and is not used for general operating expenses, except for salaries, administrative costs, and overhead related to the Fund's administration and marketing programs.
Degree Wellness has sole discretion over the Fund's creative concepts, materials, endorsements, and media used, as well as the geographic, market, and allocation of the Fund. The Fund may cover costs related to various advertising and marketing activities, including television, radio, magazine, billboard, newspaper, and internet programs, marketing research, website development, and advertising training programs. Degree Wellness will provide franchisees with approved advertising materials at its direct cost of producing them.
While Degree Wellness aims to use the Fund to benefit all contributing franchises, it is not obligated to ensure that expenditures in any geographic area are proportionate to contributions from franchises in that area, or that any franchise will directly benefit from the Fund's activities in proportion to their contribution. Degree Wellness may suspend or terminate the Fund with written notice, and any unspent monies will be distributed to Degree Wellness, its affiliates, and franchisees in proportion to their contributions during the preceding 12-month period. Degree Wellness assumes no liability or obligation to franchisees in connection with the Fund's establishment or operation and will not act as a fiduciary with respect to its management.