Under what condition is a Kidokinetics franchisee prohibited from establishing a separate website or social media presence?
Kidokinetics Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
Except as approved in advance in writing by Franchisor, Franchisee must not establish or maintain a separate website, splash page, profile or other presence on the Internet, or otherwise advertise on the Internet or any other public computer network in connection with the Kidokinetics Business, including any profile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, or any other social media and/or networking site (whether currently in existence or developed in the future).
If such approval is granted by Franchisor, Franchisee: (i) must establish and operate such Internet site in accordance with System standards and any other policies Franchisor designates in the Franchise Operations Manual or otherwise in writing from time to time; (ii) must utilize any templates that Franchisor provides to Franchisee to create and/or modify such site(s); and (iii) must obtain Franchisor's approval prior to making Social Media postings and Franchisee agrees to any Social Media postings that Franchisor, in its sole discretion, determines are inappropriate or detrimental to the goodwill of the System within 24 hours of Franchisor's notice to Franchisee.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 59)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Kidokinetics's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee is prohibited from establishing or maintaining a separate website, splash page, profile, or other presence on the Internet, including social media profiles, without advance written approval from Kidokinetics. This restriction extends to advertising on the Internet or any other public computer network in connection with the Kidokinetics business.
This means that a prospective Kidokinetics franchisee cannot independently create a website or social media presence for their franchise without first obtaining explicit permission from Kidokinetics. This control allows Kidokinetics to maintain brand consistency and manage the online representation of all its franchises.
If Kidokinetics grants approval, the franchisee must adhere to system standards and policies outlined in the Franchise Operations Manual. This includes using templates provided by Kidokinetics for creating or modifying the site and obtaining approval for social media postings. Kidokinetics retains the right to request social media account information, access the franchisee's Kidokinetics business social media accounts, and remove any postings deemed inappropriate or detrimental to the system's goodwill.
These stipulations ensure that all online marketing and social media activities align with Kidokinetics's overall brand strategy and protect its reputation. A franchisee should be prepared to cede a significant degree of control over their online presence to Kidokinetics and to strictly adhere to the franchisor's guidelines.