How does Dryer Vent Squad handle the franchisee's website and digital media?
Dryer_Vent_Squad Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
having them printed, distributed and placed with media sources. (Franchise Agreement, Article 9);
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- Digital Media and Website All digital media and marketing must be approved by us. We will designate for your Operating Territory information about your Dryer Vent Squad Business on the www.DryerVentSquad.com webpage or such other websites as we may designate for the System. (Franchise Agreement, Article 9.F.);
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- Brand Development Fund We may control and administer a brand development fund (the "Brand Development Fund") (Franchise Agreement, Article 9.A.). As disclosed in Item 6 of this Disclosure Document, you must contribute a monthly sum not to exceed 2% of monthly 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 Dryer Vent Squad 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 Dryer Vent Squad Business or the marketing area in which your Dryer Vent Squad 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 Dryer Vent Squad Businesses and the marketing of Dryer Vent Squad 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 Dryer Vent Squad 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 30–36)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Dryer Vent Squad's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, all digital media and marketing used by franchisees must be approved by Dryer Vent Squad. The franchisor will designate information about the franchisee's Dryer Vent Squad Business on the www.DryerVentSquad.com webpage or other websites that they may designate for the system.
Dryer Vent Squad strictly controls how franchisees may use websites and digital media, and franchisees must assign all website media and digital media accounts to them. The Brand Development Fund may be used to develop and test various media and technologies for potential utilization and/or improvement of the operations of Dryer Vent Squad Businesses and the marketing of Dryer Vent Squad Businesses. These technology developments and/or improvements may relate to the website and to the interaction and potential enhancement of web offerings that may or may not be implemented on behalf of Dryer Vent Squad Businesses, and franchisees may or may not benefit from these technology developments and improvements.
Dryer Vent Squad may 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. The advertising, marketing, and brand development materials developed, including the System website, may contain information as to the availability of Dryer Vent Squad Business franchises for sale and contact information for franchise inquiries.
Dryer Vent Squad also maintains the right to authorize, establish, designate, and de-authorize a local or regional advertising cooperative within designated markets. If a cooperative is established within a market that includes a franchisee's Dryer Vent Squad Business, the franchisee must contribute to the cooperative in amounts and frequency as determined by the cooperative. Members of the cooperative are responsible for administering the cooperative, including determining the number of contributions, marketing expenditures, and allocations. However, Dryer Vent Squad may require that cooperative decisions be made based on approval of a simple majority of franchisee members based on one vote per Dryer Vent Squad Business located and a quorum of not less than 25% of the designated franchisee cooperative members.