What are some examples of possible uses for the monies in the Remax Marketing Fund?
Remax Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
RE/MAX Regional collects monies paid to the Marketing Fund for Marketing Fund fees and Hot Air Balloon Fund fees; REMAX, LLC controls and administers monies allocated to the Marketing Fund. Although the specific use and allocation of monies in the Marketing Fund shall be determined by REMAX, LLC in its sole discretion and may change from time to time (Franchise Agreement—Subsections 6.D., 6.E., and 9.C.), all monies in the Marketing Fund, including any interest, dividends, capital gains or other income, will be used for the preparation and placement of national, international, pan-regional, regional or local advertising, and for marketing materials, promotions, and programs, public relations activities, consumer surveys, technology related services including development and maintenance and administrative costs (as discussed below). Examples of possible uses include: national, regional and local television, video, radio, billboard and other out of home media advertising, print, digital, social, balloon and other media campaigns, as well as technology (which may include, without limitation, costs related to the development, operation, and maintenance of (a) remax.com and/or RE/MAX office and Sales Associate websites, (b) lead and customer relationship management solutions (c) mobile applications, and (d) a marketing portal). REMAX, LLC reserves the right to make certain assets owned by REMAX, LLC, including REMAX, LLC's websites, domain names, and trademarks, available to affiliates of REMAX, LLC for purposes related to their advertising and marketing efforts, including, for example, advertising on websites owned by REMAX, LLC. In addition, the Marketing Fund may pay for special high-profile opportunities and may contribute together with some or all of the marketing and advertising funds of Independent Regions to fund national and pan-regional creative development and media purchases.
Source: Item 11 — Franchisor's Assistance, Advertising, Computer Systems, and Training (FDD pages 59–71)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Remax Franchise Disclosure Document, the Marketing Fund is controlled and administered by REMAX, LLC, which has the sole discretion to determine how the funds are used. These funds are collected from Marketing Fund fees and Hot Air Balloon Fund fees. Generally, the monies are used for advertising, marketing materials, promotions, programs, public relations, consumer surveys, and technology-related services.
Examples of how the Marketing Fund may be used include national, regional, and local advertising through various media such as television, video, radio, billboards, print, digital, social media, and even balloon campaigns. The funds may also be allocated to technology-related costs, such as the development, operation, and maintenance of remax.com, RE/MAX office and Sales Associate websites, lead and customer relationship management solutions, mobile applications, and a marketing portal. Remax also reserves the right to use assets like websites, domain names, and trademarks for affiliate advertising and marketing efforts.
In the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, Remax disbursed $57,117,298 from the Marketing Fund. Of this, 8.8% was allocated to production, 58% to media placement, 26.4% to technology-related services, and 6.8% to administrative expenses. While the Marketing Fund aims to maximize public recognition of the RE/MAX brand, Remax is not obligated to ensure that expenditures are proportionate to individual office contributions or that each office directly benefits in proportion to its contribution. Franchisees are not required to participate in local or regional advertising cooperatives.