June 19, 2008 // Franchising.com // WASHINGTON, D.C.—The second in a series of advertisements highlighting the economic impact of franchising appeared today in Roll Call, the International Franchise Association (IFA) said today.
The ad, which will also appear in National Journal next month, features Oklahoma City-based Express Employment Professionals, a global personnel services company with over 600 offices worldwide, which employ over 350,000 people.
Express franchise owners Deidra Viney and Holly Doan of Jersey City, N.J. explain how franchising gave them the opportunity to help over 10,000 people find jobs in Hudson County. The franchising model allows local business owners to connect with national brands and provides training and marketing support for the business.
The franchising industry has seen record growth in recent years. A recent economic analysis shows that the franchising sector of the economy expanded by over 18 percent from 2001 to 2005, adding more than 140,000 new businesses and 1.2 million new jobs to the nation's economy. Direct economic output of franchises grew by more than 40 percent to $880 billion during the five-year span.
"This awareness campaign is designed to illustrate the broad reach of franchising," said Matthew Shay, IFA president and CEO. "There are more than 900,000 franchised business in the U.S. operating in many industries, including automotive repair, restaurants, business services, retail, lodging, real estate and senior care. It is important that lawmakers understand the franchise sector and the impact that certain laws can have on this important segment of our economy."
A key component of the campaign is print and online advertising to educate opinion leaders about the franchise model, the product support and training it provides and the many diverse options and opportunities for people to own their own business through franchising.
The testimonial ad series features real franchisees and franchisors and highlights the campaign's theme: Franchising: Building Local Businesses, One Opportunity at a Time. The brand was developed through extensive opinion leader testing to communicate how franchising helps build businesses comprised of local owners who support communities all across the country.
A new Web site, www.buildingopportunity.com, was developed to support the campaign and provides additional information about the economic impact of franchising, including access to the IFA Educational Foundation's "Economic Impact of Franchised Businesses" report prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which can be searched by congressional district.
About The International Franchise Association
The International Franchise Association, the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising, is the preeminent voice and acknowledged leader for the industry worldwide. Approaching a half-century of service with a growing membership of more than 1,300 franchise systems, 10,000-plus franchisees and more than 500 firms that supply goods and services to the industry, IFA protects, enhances and promotes franchising by advancing the values of integrity, respect, trust, commitment to excellence, honesty and diversity.
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