What is the purpose of the Brand Development Fund for Kidokinetics?
Kidokinetics Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
approval.
Brand Development Fund
The brand development fund ("Brand Development Fund") is for marketing, developing, and promoting the System, the Marks and Kidokinetics Franchises. You must pay 2% of your weekly Gross Sales to the Brand Development Fund ("Brand Development Fund Contribution"). Each franchisee will be required to contribute to the Brand Development Fund, but certain franchisees may contribute on a different basis depending on when they signed their Franchise Agreement. Kidokinetics Businesses owned by us will contribute to the Brand Development Fund on the same basis as franchisees, except for one existing affiliate owned Kidokinetics Business.
The Brand Development Fund will be administered by us, or our affiliate or designees, at our discretion, and we may use a professional advertising agency or media buyer to assist us. We will separately account for all of the Brand Development Fund Contributions that we administer; however, we are not required to segregate any of the funds from our other monies.
We have complete discretion on how the Brand Development Fund will be utilized. We may use the Brand Development Fund for local, regional, or national marketing, or any expenditure that we, in our sole discretion, deem necessary or appropriate to promote or improve the System or the Kidokinetics brand. For example, we may use the Brand Development Fund for: (i) developing, maintaining, administering, directing, preparing or reviewing advertising and marketing materials, promotions and programs, including social media management; (ii) public awareness of any of the Marks; (iii) public and consumer relations and publicity; (iv) brand development; (v) research and development of technology, products and services; (vi) website development (including social media) and search engine optimization; (vii) development and implementation of quality control programs; (viii) conducting market research; (ix) changes and improvements to the System; (x) the fees and expenses of any advertising agency we engage to assist in producing or conducting advertising or marketing efforts; (xi) collecting and accounting for Brand Development Fund Contributions; (xii) preparing and distributing financial accountings of the Brand Development Fund; (xiii) conducting quality assurance programs and other reputation management functions; and (xiv) our and our affiliates' expenses associated with direct or indirect labor, administrative, overhead, or other expenses incurred in relation to any of these activities. We may use national and/or regional advertising agencies as the source for our advertising materials, or we may prepare them in-house.
We are not obligated to spend any amount on advertising in the geographical area where you are or will be located. We do not guarantee that advertising expenditures from the Brand Development Fund will benefit you or any other franchisee directly, on a pro rata basis, or at all. We are not obligated to spend any amount on advertising in the geographical area where you are or will be located. We will not use the Brand Development Fund Contributions for advertising that is principally a solicitation for the sale of Franchises, but we reserve the right to include a notation in any advertisement or website indicating "Franchises Available" or similar phrasing.
We assume no fiduciary duty to you or other direct or indirect liability or obligation to collect amounts due to the Brand Development Fund or to maintain, direct or administer the Brand Development Fund. Any unused funds that were collected in any calendar year will be applied to the following year's funds, and we reserve the right to contribute or loan additional funds to the Brand Development Fund on any terms we deem reasonable.
The Brand Development Fund is not audited. Upon your written request, we will make available an annual accounting for the Brand Development Fund that shows how the Brand Development Fund proceeds have been spent for the previous year. During our fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, we spent 100% of the Brand Development Fund Contributions on administration.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 26–34)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Kidokinetics's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Brand Development Fund is designated for marketing, developing, and promoting the Kidokinetics system, trademarks, and franchises. Franchisees are required to contribute 2% of their weekly Gross Sales to this fund, although the contribution basis may vary for certain franchisees depending on their Franchise Agreement's signing date. Kidokinetics businesses owned by the company also contribute to the fund on the same basis as franchisees, with the exception of one existing affiliate-owned business. The fund is administered by Kidokinetics, its affiliates, or designees, and the company may employ a professional advertising agency or media buyer to assist in these efforts.
Kidokinetics has complete discretion over how the Brand Development Fund is utilized, including for local, regional, or national marketing initiatives. These initiatives can include developing advertising materials, enhancing public awareness of trademarks, conducting public relations, brand development, research and development, website development, quality control programs, market research, and system improvements. The fund can also cover the costs associated with advertising agencies, collecting fund contributions, preparing financial accountings, conducting quality assurance programs, and covering the company's administrative expenses related to these activities.
While franchisees contribute to the Brand Development Fund, Kidokinetics is not obligated to spend any specific amount on advertising in the franchisee's geographical area, nor is there a guarantee that advertising expenditures from the fund will directly benefit any franchisee. Kidokinetics also retains the right to market on the Internet, including the use of websites, domain names, search engines, and social media, and may request content from franchisees for its Internet marketing efforts. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, Kidokinetics spent 100% of the Brand Development Fund Contributions on administration.