Are the obligations to protect the rights to use copyrights for Embassy Suites the same as the obligations for the Marks?

According to the 2025 Embassy Suites Franchise Disclosure Document, the obligations for a franchisee to protect the rights to use Embassy Suites' copyrights are the same as the obligations to protect the Marks, as detailed in Item 13 of the FDD. This means that franchisees have a responsibility to safeguard Embassy Suites' intellectual property, including its copyrights, in a manner consistent with how they protect the brand's trademarks and service marks.

This obligation likely includes preventing unauthorized use or infringement of the copyrights, reporting any suspected violations to Embassy Suites, and adhering to specific guidelines outlined in the franchise agreement and related manuals. Item 13, which is not provided in the excerpt, would contain the specific details of these obligations related to the Marks, which now also apply to copyright protection.

For a prospective Embassy Suites franchisee, this means understanding and diligently following the guidelines for protecting both the brand's trademarks and copyrighted materials. Failure to do so could result in legal repercussions or a breach of the franchise agreement. It is important to carefully review Item 13 of the FDD to fully understand the specific obligations involved in protecting the Marks, as these obligations extend to the copyrights as well.