key takeaways
- The International Franchise Association launched a $5 million campaign called “Franchise Means Local”.
- The campaign highlights that most franchises are small businesses owned by local entrepreneurs.
- This effort aims to correct the perception that franchising represents big business.
International Franchise Association (IFA) has launched a $5 million national awareness campaign that aims to tackle one of the biggest misconceptions about the franchise business model – that franchising is “big business”.
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The initiative, titled “Franchise means local,“highlights the fact that most franchise locations are owned and operated by individual entrepreneurs who live and work in the communities they serve. Funded through IFA FoundationThe campaign will share the stories of local franchise owners across the country, showcasing how they create jobs, support local causes and grow neighborhood economies.
“Franchising is often misunderstood,” says Matthew Haller, president and CEO of IFA. “Our goal is to showcase the real stories behind the businesses that serve local communities and drive the American economy.”
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According to IFA, franchise businesses collectively employ nearly nine million Americans through more than 830,000 locally owned locations, generating $870 billion in economic output. Roughly 80% of franchisees own only one unit, and nearly a third say they would not own a business without franchising.
Franchise Means Local officially launched on October 8. “This is a timely investment in the future of our business model,” says Ron Feldman, Chairman of the IFA Foundation Board of Trustees. “Franchisees are not faceless – they are neighbors, community leaders and small business owners who remain invested in their communities.”
The campaign’s message is simple: behind every national franchise brand is a local business owner. By putting real people front and center, IFA hopes to change how the public views franchising – not as corporate expansion, but as a network of small business owners powering local economies.
Related: No Experience? No problem. How this first-time franchisee built a $3 million business.
