What identity and graphics standards must I use for advertising my Embassy Suites hotel?
Embassy_Suites Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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generally with national coverage. The source of our advertising is our in-house marketing department, advertising agencies, and other external vendors.
You must advertise and promote the hotel and related facilities and services on a local and regional basis as we specify in the Manual, in a first-class, dignified manner, using our identity and graphics standards for all System Hotels, at your cost and expense. You must submit to us samples of all advertising and promotional materials that we have not previously approved (including any materials in digital, electronic, or computerized form, or in any form of media that exists now or is developed in the future) before you produce or distribute them. You may not begin using the materials until we approve them. You must immediately discontinue your use of any advertising or promotional material that we reasonably believe is not in the best interest of your Hotel or the System, even if we previously approved the materials. Any advertising or promotional materials, or sales or marketing concepts, you develop for your Hotel that we approve may be used by other hotels in the System without any compensation to you. (Franchise Agreement, Section 5.1.7).
You may not engage, directly or indirectly, in any cross-marketing or cross-promotion of your Hotel with any other hotel, motel or related business without our prior written consent, except for System Hotels and Network Hotels. You also may not utilize a list of customers (whether acquired before or during the term of your franchise) without our prior approval. The term "System Hotels" means hotels operating under the System using the Brand name and the Standards. The term "Network" means the elements, including know-how, that we or our Affiliates designate to distinguish the hotels, inns, conference centers, timeshare or residential properties and other hospitality-related businesses that Hilton Worldwide and its subsidiaries own, control, license, lease, operate or manage now or in the future. The term "Network Hotel" means any hotel, inn, conference center, timeshare or residential property or other hospitality-related business within the Network.
You must refer guests and customers, wherever reasonably possible, only to System Hotels and (if and as we direct) Network Hotels. However, we can require you to participate in programs designed to refer prospective customers to other hotels, whether in the System or otherwise. You must also display all material, including brochures and promotional material we provide to System Hotels and Network Hotels;
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 53–67)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Embassy Suites's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to adhere to specific identity and graphics standards for all advertising and promotional materials related to their hotel. These standards are established for all System Hotels and must be followed at the franchisee's own cost and expense. Before producing or distributing any advertising or promotional materials that have not been previously approved, franchisees must submit samples to Embassy Suites for approval. This includes materials in digital, electronic, or computerized form, as well as any form of media that currently exists or may be developed in the future.
Embassy Suites retains the right to mandate the discontinuation of any advertising or promotional material that it reasonably believes is not in the best interest of the hotel or the System, even if the materials were previously approved. Any advertising or promotional materials, or sales or marketing concepts, developed by a franchisee for their hotel that are approved by Embassy Suites may be used by other hotels within the System without any compensation to the originating franchisee.
Regarding websites, franchisees may not register, own, or maintain any internet domain names, World Wide Web or other electronic communications sites, including mobile applications, relating to the Network, the System, or their Hotel, or that include the Marks without express permission. The only Sites, or Site contractors, that franchisees may use for their Hotel are those assigned or approved by Embassy Suites. Franchisees must obtain prior written approval for any third-party Site in which their Hotel will be listed, any proposed links between the Site and any other Sites, and any proposed modifications to all Sites and Linked Sites. All Sites containing any of the Marks and any Linked Sites must advertise, promote, and reflect on the hotel and the System in a first-class, dignified manner, conforming to content, identity, and graphics standards for all System Hotels. Embassy Suites retains the right to withhold or withdraw approval and to modify requirements at any time, given the evolving nature of computer and communications technology.