Module 8 — Launch and local marketing

Section 1 · Pre-work (60 minutes)

Required reading

• Operations Manual §11 (all subsections). 25 minutes.
• HiON Voice Playbook v1.0 — refresh on §05 vocabulary library (Never list) and §10 side-by-side rewrites. 10 minutes.
• The HiON launch toolkit on the Partner Portal — ribbon-cutting run-of-show, press release templates, social kit, photographer brief, municipal-outreach template. 15 minutes.
• The trainee’s FA §12 (Advertising and Promotion) and §5 (Fees). 10 minutes.

Pre-session knowledge check

Submitted via Partner Portal at least 24 hours before the session.

1. The franchisee may invite drivers to contact the franchisee’s local phone number for billing questions if the phone number is listed only for “general business inquiries.” True or false? Cite the basis.
2. Within how many calendar days of commissioning approval must the ribbon-cutting be conducted, and how many Business Days in advance must HiON be invited?
3. May the franchisee post a comparative social media graphic showing HiON’s V4 charger specs alongside a competitor’s network specs if every claim is factually accurate?
4. May A&M Fund contributions be offset against, or deducted from, any other fee owed to HiON?
5. The franchisee’s local agency proposes an influencer arrangement with a regional automotive YouTube creator. Is this acceptable, and under what framework?

Bring to session

• The trainee’s executed Franchise Agreement (especially §12 Advertising and Promotion + §5 Fees)
• The trainee’s existing Google Business Profile listing (or printed screenshot), social handles, and any current local marketing materials
• The trainee’s Marketing/Local Growth Lead, if the role has been filled
• The trainee’s Designated Business Manager

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Section 2 · Learning objectives

By the end of this module, the trainee can:

1. Apply the §11.1 marketing role split — HiON owns national brand, awareness, Brand Asset Library, Tesla-app metadata, launch toolkit, campaign kits, system-level PR, and crisis communications. The franchisee owns local awareness that complements (never contradicts) the national brand.
2. Execute the §11.2 launch playbook — ribbon-cutting within 5 calendar days of commissioning approval; HiON invited 15 Business Days in advance; launch-toolkit creative used; Site Host and local dignitaries invited; documentation retained per §15.
3. Execute the §11.2.2 Start-Up Advertising program on the FA-required schedule and spend window. Failure to meet the spend commitment is a material breach.
4. Operate ongoing local marketing through the §11.3 approved channels (geo-targeted digital; local outdoor/transit; local press; community sponsorships [APPROVAL REQUIRED]; trade shows; site-level activations) without comparative/disparaging messaging or unauthorized promotions.
5. Execute Site Host co-marketing using only Partner Portal co-branded templates or §11.6-approved creative — HiON brand primary, Site Host brand secondary, no independent Marks rights granted to Site Host.
6. Maintain a §11.5-compliant digital presence — Google Business Profile current; no driver-support contact channels listed for billing/payment matters; no third-party charger finders or aggregators; social media per the Partner Portal Social Media Playbook.
7. Submit through the Marketing-Review Queue every piece of creative not drawn unmodified from the Brand Asset Library or launch toolkit; receive HiON response within 10 Business Days; never alter approved creative after the fact.
8. Meet the three distinct spend obligations (A&M Fund + Local Spend + Start-Up Advertising) — none offsets any other; A&M Fund is not deductible from any other fee.

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Section 3 · Why this matters

Launch is the only moment a HiON EV Facility has to introduce itself to a local market. The Manual frames the stakes plainly (§11.2 Purpose): “The timing is tight and the requirements are specific because the launch moment is the single best local-awareness opportunity your HiON EV Franchise will have, and it happens only once.” A botched launch — a late ribbon-cutting, an under-funded Start-Up Advertising spend, a press release written from scratch instead of from the launch toolkit — is not recoverable. The franchisee can run good local marketing for ten years afterward and never produce the awareness impact of a properly-executed launch.

The §11.2.2 Start-Up Advertising obligation is material in both senses — substantively significant and contractually load-bearing. “Failure to meet the spend commitment is a material breach.” The franchisee who treats the Start-Up Advertising as a number to negotiate or a budget to optimize against has misunderstood the obligation. It is a hard floor. The FA specifies the minimum spend amount, the spend window, and any allocation rules; the franchisee executes against those. The pre-staging discipline from M07 §4.9 is what makes the Start-Up Advertising deliverable on the 5-calendar-day timeline — the creative is queued, the placements are scheduled, the agencies are briefed before commissioning approval.

Ongoing local marketing is the franchisee’s recurring discipline — the work that keeps the HiON EV Facility’s awareness compounding in a local market over years. The §11.3 framework lists six approved channels and prohibits four categories (comparative/disparaging messaging; unauthorized promos; third-party aggregators; FPRs). The Voice Playbook (M03) provides the voice rubric — every customer-facing communication runs through the 8-point Training Diagnostic before publishing.

The digital presence rules (§11.5) are the most operationally non-obvious. The Manual explicitly prohibits listing any phone number, email, or support channel that invites drivers to contact the franchisee for session, payment, or billing matters (§11.5.1 [MANDATORY]). The franchisee who lists a “customer service line” on their Google Business Profile has created a non-Tesla driver-support channel — a §11.5.1 violation that compounds with the §10 escalate-never-resolve principle (M11). Drivers route to Tesla’s app and Tesla’s driver-support flow. Period.

The creative-review discipline (§11.6) is the gate that protects every other discipline in this Module. The 10-Business-Day HiON response means the franchisee plans backwards from publication dates — a Friday placement window requires submission no later than the prior week’s Wednesday at the absolute outer boundary, and more realistically two to three weeks ahead. The franchisee who submits creative on a “just in case we need to publish” timeline forces HiON’s review into emergency mode and burns institutional goodwill.

The A&M Fund + Local Spend + Start-Up Advertising trichotomy (§11.7) is the financial structure operators most often try to consolidate to save effort. They are three distinct obligations. The A&M Fund is paid to HiON on the FA’s schedule and funds national brand activity. The Local Spend is the franchisee’s own marketing spend, allocated locally, against FA-specified scope. The Start-Up Advertising is the launch-period commitment. Meeting one does not reduce the obligation to meet the others. A&M Fund contributions are not deductible from or offset against any other fee.

Acknowledged Elephant: a sophisticated multi-unit operator has run launch playbooks before — at QSR, at fitness, at retail. They will be tempted to apply prior-system instincts to the HiON launch. The HiON launch is different in a specific way: the Tesla Supercharger network is the discovery channel, not the franchisee’s marketing. The launch is therefore not about driving drivers to the site through advertising. The launch is about announcing the site exists, building local brand presence, and signaling to other operators (current and prospective Site Hosts, local press, regional EV community) that HiON is now operating in the market. The launch metric is awareness in the local commercial market, not session count. The Start-Up Advertising program is structured against the former, not the latter.

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Section 4 · Core content

4.1 — The marketing role split (§11.1)

The eight-row split between HiON and the franchisee:

Scope	HiON does	Franchisee does
National brand and awareness	Brand system management; national awareness campaigns; paid search and retargeting; content and editorial; media and analyst engagement	Local awareness activity that complements (never contradicts) the national brand
Brand Asset Library	Maintain; publish approved assets on Partner Portal; update when standards evolve	Use current assets only; download from Partner Portal per §2.4.6 (M03)
Tesla application metadata	Maintain in coordination with the Tesla Supercharger network	Report discrepancies per §9.3 (M10) and §10.1 (M11)
Launch (ribbon-cutting + Start-Up Advertising)	Provide launch toolkit; approve creative for local adaptation	Execute ribbon-cutting and Start-Up Advertising per §11.2 and FA
Local marketing (ongoing)	Provide campaign kits, seasonal creative, approved partner templates; review and approve local creative	Plan and execute local marketing consistent with §11 and creative-review approvals
Site Host co-marketing	Approve specific Site Host co-marketing under §2.3.5 (M03)	Propose and execute approved Site Host co-marketing; maintain Site Host relationship
Public relations and media	Manage system-level and inbound media; issue press releases; handle reporter inquiries	Execute approved local press (ribbon-cutting coverage); escalate inbound media per §11.5
Crisis communications	Manage from Compliance and Risk team; coordinate with counsel and insurers	Do not comment publicly; escalate immediately per §3.2.5 (M02)

Three [MANDATORY] standards (§11.1):

1. All marketing activity executed in accordance with §11, §2.3, §2.4 (M03), and FA §12
2. No representation that the franchisee, the franchisee’s entity, or any owner is a representative of HiON Franchise Group, LLC or Tesla, Inc.
3. No use of the Marks, the Tesla mark, the HiON voice, or any Brand Asset Library material to market any business, service, or activity other than the HiON EV Franchise

4.2 — The launch playbook: ribbon-cutting (§11.2.1)

Five [MANDATORY] standards plus one [RECOMMENDED] and one [LOCAL-LAW DEPENDENT]:

1. [MANDATORY] Conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony at each HiON EV Facility within 5 calendar days of HiON’s written commissioning approval (unless HiON has granted written permission for a later date)
2. [MANDATORY] Follow the run-of-show, messaging, creative, and Partner Portal template in the launch toolkit. Adapt for local context (time of day, local dignitaries, Site Host participation, language needs) within bounds the toolkit permits
3. [MANDATORY] Invite the Site Host and local dignitaries per the launch-toolkit recommendations. Accommodate Site Host participation to the extent the lease contemplates
4. [MANDATORY] Invite HiON to the ribbon-cutting through the Partner Portal at least 15 Business Days before the scheduled date. HiON’s attendance is discretionary
5. [MANDATORY] Retain documentation — invitation, guest list, press coverage, photos, any speech or printed material — in the site file per §15
6. [RECOMMENDED] Combine the ribbon-cutting with a charging-session demonstration, a brief Site Host moment, and a local photographer present for usable assets (launch toolkit includes a photographer brief)
7. [LOCAL-LAW DEPENDENT] Where public-official participation or formal municipal recognition is customary, reach out at least 30 days in advance (launch toolkit has a municipal-outreach template)

The 5-calendar-day clock and the 15-Business-Day HiON invitation requirement create a tight planning window. The franchisee invites HiON 15 Business Days before the ribbon-cutting; the ribbon-cutting is within 5 calendar days of commissioning approval. Working backwards: commissioning approval must issue at least 15 Business Days + 5 calendar days ≈ 4 weeks before the franchisee’s target ribbon-cutting date. Realistically, the franchisee invites HiON when the Commissioning Readiness Request is submitted (M07 §4.5), using the expected commissioning date as the basis. The invitation is updated if the actual commissioning date slips.

4.3 — The launch playbook: Start-Up Advertising (§11.2.2)

Four [MANDATORY] standards plus one [RECOMMENDED]:

1. Plan, execute, and pay for the Start-Up Advertising program required by FA §12. Minimum spend amount, spend window, and allocation rules are set forth in the FA and FDD; this Manual does not restate the amounts.
2. Begin execution on or before the FA-specified date and complete the full required spend within the spend window. Failure to meet the spend commitment is a material breach.
3. Start-Up Advertising creative drawn from the launch toolkit, adapted only within toolkit bounds, submitted for creative review where the toolkit or this Manual requires review (§11.6)
4. Retain documentation — invoices, placement confirmations, digital ad spend reports, creative approvals, summary spend report reconciled to required minimum — for the §15 retention period and producible on audit
5. [RECOMMENDED] Front-load digital awareness (geo-targeted display and paid social) to build Tesla-application discovery; reinforce with outdoor and local press close to ribbon-cutting; reserve a portion for post-launch reinforcement in weeks 2–8

The four [MANDATORY] standards collapse into a single discipline: the Start-Up Advertising is a hard commitment, executed on the FA’s terms, documented for audit. The franchisee does not negotiate the floor, defer the spend, or treat the spend window as flexible.

4.4 — The launch week checklist (§11.2.3)

The 10 non-negotiable launch-week items (these map to the broader launch toolkit):

1. Commissioning Approval on file (§7.5)
2. Go-Live Notification submitted (§4.4)
3. Tesla-application site metadata verified
4. Signage, pavement marking, and wayfinding installed per §2.4 (M03) and §9 (M10)
5. Site-area maintenance standing at pass per §9
6. Launch-toolkit creative ordered, delivered, and installed (temporary signage, ribbon, branded materials)
7. Ribbon-cutting date scheduled, invitations sent, press kit distributed
8. Start-Up Advertising placements scheduled and first creative flights live
9. Site Host briefed on launch, day-of logistics, and any access or parking coordination
10. Insurance confirmed in force for an operating site (§13)

The list is the integration point of the launch — every one of the items is a discipline detailed elsewhere in the Manual, and launch is the moment they all have to be simultaneously true.

4.5 — Ongoing local marketing and community engagement (§11.3)

Four [MANDATORY] standards (§11.3):

1. Execute local marketing consistent with Partner Portal campaign kits, seasonal creative, and the §11.6 creative-review workflow
2. Comply with FA Local Marketing Spend obligations (if any); document local spend per FA and §12 (M13)
3. No competitive, comparative, or disparaging messaging about other charging networks, EV charging operators, or vehicle manufacturers (§2.3.4 / M03)
4. No coupons, promo codes, discount offers, free-charging codes, or similar promotions unless HiON has issued an approved mechanism on the Partner Portal (§10.2.2 / M11)

Six approved local channels (§11.3.1) — used per the requirements:

Channel	Typical use	Requirements
Geo-targeted digital (display, paid search, paid social)	Awareness and consideration in the local catchment area	Creative from Partner Portal campaign kits. Audience and geo targeting must not impermissibly overlap another Franchisee’s Search Area or operating HiON EV Facility vicinity (raise boundary questions to FBC)
Local outdoor / transit	Route-level awareness on approach corridors	Partner Portal creative; signage meets local permitting; no dark or deceptive placements
Local press / community publications	Storytelling around ribbon-cutting, Site Host partnership, community benefit	Press release and story angles from launch toolkit or approved by marketing review
Community sponsorships and local events	Local partnership that raises HiON visibility in a Site Host-compatible way	Co-branding with third parties and sponsorship arrangements are [APPROVAL REQUIRED] under §2.3.6 (M03)
Trade shows and EV-adjacent events	Regional presence at auto shows, chamber events, sustainability events	Messaging from Partner Portal; no financial performance representations (§6.2.3 / M04)
Site-level activations	On-site driver engagement during high-visibility periods	Must not interfere with site safety, accessibility, or driver journey (§10.1 / M11)

Community engagement (§11.3.2) [RECOMMENDED]:

• Build relationships with local chamber of commerce, downtown association, tourism board, sustainability commissions, EV user groups. Low-cost awareness; surfaces issues (road closures, event permits, complaints) early
• Consider philanthropy consistent with the HiON voice and Site Host’s community posture — small sponsorship of a local EV-awareness event, for example. Keep focus on HiON brand and charging experience, not unrelated causes

4.6 — Site Host co-marketing (§11.4)

The Manual’s framing: “Site Host co-marketing is the one marketing activity where the Site Host is actively part of the creative and the distribution, not just the backdrop.”

Four [MANDATORY] standards plus one [RECOMMENDED]:

1. All Site Host co-marketing uses only Partner Portal co-branded templates (press release, social post, email blurb, on-property POP) or creative specifically approved under §11.6
2. HiON brand primary visual identity in every co-branded piece. Site Host brand secondary (§2.3.5 / M03)
3. No independent right granted to the Site Host to use HiON Marks or Tesla mark in Site Host’s own marketing. Co-marketing is joint distribution of approved pieces; it is not a license to the Site Host
4. Brief every Site Host who participates in co-marketing on the limits above. Use the Partner Portal Site Host co-marketing briefing; distribute and retain acknowledgments
5. [RECOMMENDED] Highest-impact Site Host co-marketing: (a) co-branded announcement on both parties’ channels at launch; (b) on-property POP directing Site Host customers to the HiON EV Facility; (c) periodic Site Host feature in monthly local marketing

4.7 — Digital presence and social media (§11.5)

Digital presence — three [MANDATORY] standards (§11.5.1):

1. Maintain accurate, current listings on Google Business Profile (or equivalent local map services), major local directories, and any mapping or travel platforms HiON designates. Include: HiON business name and site identifier consistent with the Tesla application; address; photos from the Brand Asset Library; hours reflecting 24/7/365 operation
2. No phone number, email address, or support channel listed that invites drivers to contact the franchisee for session, payment, or billing matters. The Tesla application and the Tesla driver-support flow are the canonical driver channels. A general business inquiry email is acceptable
3. No third-party “charger finder,” “station locator,” roaming service, or network aggregator posted, linked to, or promoted as a discovery channel. The Tesla application is the single approved discovery channel (§2.1.3 / M01)

Social media — three [MANDATORY] standards plus one [APPROVAL REQUIRED] (§11.5.2):

1. Location-specific HiON social presence operated on platforms approved on the Partner Portal. Handle naming, profile imagery, posting standards conform to the current Social Media Playbook on the Partner Portal
2. No content that: depicts unsafe use of EV Charging Equipment; names or identifies individual drivers; quotes or paraphrases driver interactions; speculates about equipment faults, network issues, or roadmap; comments on other networks, vehicle OEMs, or competitors; makes financial performance representations; references specific incidents under investigation
3. Respond to public-facing social comments per the Social Media Playbook. No substantive back-and-forth about support issues on social. Acknowledge and redirect to the Tesla application and the Partner Portal support channel
4. [APPROVAL REQUIRED] Paid social or paid digital campaigns above the threshold stated in the Partner Portal; any influencer, sponsorship, or paid-partnership arrangement with a social creator

Media inquiries (§11.5.3) [MANDATORY]: escalate every inbound media inquiry per §3.2.5 (M02). No comment on behalf of HiON or the System without prior written approval. For the ribbon-cutting, the launch toolkit designates the approved spokesperson and approved quotes. For all other inquiries, route the reporter to HiON.

4.8 — Creative review and approvals (§11.6)

Five standards — four [MANDATORY] plus one [RECOMMENDED]:

1. [MANDATORY] Submit every piece of advertising, marketing, or promotional material that is not drawn unmodified from the Brand Asset Library or launch toolkit through the Partner Portal Marketing-Review Queue for approval before publication, distribution, or paid placement
2. [MANDATORY] HiON responds within 10 Business Days of receipt of a complete submission: approval, approval with conditions, revisions requested, or escalation. Incomplete submissions returned for resubmission
3. [MANDATORY] No alteration of approved creative after the fact. If an approved piece requires a change before the end of its use, submit the revised version as a new submission
4. [MANDATORY] Retain the Marketing-Review approval record (submission, decision, approved creative, conditions) together with executed placement or distribution records for the §15 retention period
5. [RECOMMENDED] Submit early. Approval often takes less than 10 Business Days; early submission leaves room for revision cycle without compressing the placement window

4.9 — A&M Fund and Local Spend commitments (§11.7)

Two [MANDATORY] A&M Fund standards (§11.7):

1. Pay the Advertising and Marketing Fee required by FA §5 on the FA’s schedule
2. A&M Fund contributions are not deductible from, or offsets against, any other fee or obligation under the FA or MSA

Two [MANDATORY] Local Spend standards (§11.7):

1. Execute the Local Spend (if any) required by the FA on the schedule and in the scope required. Document spend in the Partner Portal and books per §12 (M13)
2. The Start-Up Advertising program (§11.2.2) is distinct from Local Spend; meeting one does not reduce the obligation to meet the other

The three-distinct-obligation framework — A&M Fund + Local Spend + Start-Up Advertising — is the single most important financial framing in this Module. Each is a separate commitment with a separate FA basis. The franchisee budgets for each independently.

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Section 5 · Decision drills

Drill 5.1 — The “support phone number” on Google Business Profile

The franchisee’s Marketing/Local Growth Lead, setting up the Parker site’s Google Business Profile, asks whether to list the franchisee’s business phone number under “Phone” — “so customers can reach us if they have questions.”

State the response and the cited basis. State what (if anything) the franchisee lists.

Drill 5.2 — The comparative social post

The franchisee’s social media coordinator drafts an Instagram post: “V4 Tesla Superchargers at HiON Parker: 350kW peak. Faster than the [competitor network] sites in [adjacent city]. Here’s the math.” The post includes accurate, sourced data on both networks.

State the response and the cited basis. State the next two actions.

Drill 5.3 — The 4-day-out commissioning approval

Commissioning approval issues at 3pm Thursday. The franchisee’s chosen ribbon-cutting venue is unavailable until 12 calendar days from now. The franchisee has not yet invited HiON.

State the franchisee’s response and the cited basis. State the calendar math and whether the franchisee requests an extension.

Drill 5.4 — The Site Host’s independent post

The franchisee’s Site Host emails: “For our quarterly community newsletter, we’d like to feature the HiON site at our property. We’ll write the article ourselves and use HiON’s logo from your business cards. Send me the high-resolution file.”

State the response and the cited basis. State the next two actions.

Drill 5.5 — The third-party station-locator listing

A regional EV-driver advocacy group has asked to feature the franchisee’s site on their volunteer-maintained station-finder app. The app is free, has 25,000 local users, and would direct EV drivers to the site. The advocacy group will not charge for the listing.

State the response and the cited basis. State the alternative the franchisee can offer.

Drill 5.6 — The influencer pitch

A regional YouTube creator with 80,000 subscribers pitches a partnership: “Pay me $4,500 and I’ll do a ‘first-ever Supercharger franchise tour’ video at your Parker site. I’ll be hands-off on script — I just want to be authentic about my experience.”

State the response and the cited basis. State the path the franchisee follows if interested.

Drill 5.7 — The post-approval edit

The franchisee submitted a regional billboard creative through the Marketing-Review Queue and received approval. Two weeks into the placement, the franchisee’s agency proposes a small headline tweak — three words different — to test response rates. The placement vendor can swap the creative in 48 hours.

State whether the franchisee may proceed with the headline tweak and the cited basis. State the next action.

Drill 5.8 — The A&M Fund offset

The franchisee, frustrated with the A&M Fee schedule and wanting to fund a local outdoor campaign, asks the FBC: “For this month, can we apply our A&M Fee contribution toward our local outdoor spend? We’re hitting the local spend target either way and it would simplify our books.”

State the response and the cited basis.

Drill 5.9 — The driver-incident social post

A driver had a session-initiation issue at the Parker site Friday night that resolved itself overnight. The driver tweeted about it Monday morning. The franchisee’s social media coordinator wants to reply: “Hi [driver name] — sorry for the trouble on Friday. Looks like a temporary network issue. The team got it resolved overnight. Let us know if you have any other charging questions and we’ll get back to you fast.”

State the response and the cited basis. State the corrected response (what the franchisee actually does).

Drill 5.10 — The Earth Day site activation

The franchisee’s Marketing Lead proposes an Earth Day on-site activation: “We’ll set up a tent in the corner of the parking lot, hand out branded reusable water bottles, and partner with a local sustainability nonprofit. We’ll position it as celebrating HiON’s role in clean energy.”

State the response and the cited basis. State the multiple violations in the proposal and the path to a compliant activation.

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Section 6 · Common operator errors

6.1 — Listing a driver-facing support phone or email on Google Business Profile or directories

The franchisee, wanting to seem accessible, lists the franchisee’s business phone or “support email” on Google Business Profile under “Phone” or “Customer service.”

• Consequence: §11.5.1 [MANDATORY] violation. Compounds with §10.3.1 escalate-never-resolve (M11) when a driver actually calls. Audit finding.
• Discipline: the §11.5.1 [MANDATORY] is categorical — no contact channel that invites drivers to contact the franchisee for session, payment, or billing. A general business inquiry email is acceptable. The Tesla application is the canonical driver channel.

6.2 — Comparative messaging — even factually accurate

The franchisee or franchisee’s agency drafts content comparing HiON to other networks, OEMs, or competitors. The data is accurate and sourced.

• Consequence: §11.3 [MANDATORY] + §2.3.4 (M03) [MANDATORY] violation — no competitive, comparative, or disparaging messaging. Accuracy is not a defense.
• Discipline: the Voice Playbook’s Principle 01 (Authority through arithmetic) directs the franchisee to state HiON’s facts without comparison. “V4 Tesla Superchargers: 350kW peak” is permissible. “V4 Tesla Superchargers: 350kW peak. Faster than [competitor]” is not.

6.3 — Listing on third-party station finders

The franchisee accepts a free listing on a third-party station-finder app, advocacy-group map, or roaming network.

• Consequence: §11.5.1 [MANDATORY] violation. The Tesla application is the single approved discovery channel. Third-party listings create alternative discovery paths that may confuse drivers, surface data discrepancies, and undermine the network integration.
• Discipline: Tesla app only. Friendly third-party requests are politely declined; the franchisee can direct the third party to Tesla’s communications channels if they want the site featured at the network level.

6.4 — Treating co-marketing as a license to the Site Host

The franchisee, working with the Site Host on a co-marketing piece, sends the Site Host the HiON logo files for the Site Host’s own future use.

• Consequence: §11.4 [MANDATORY] + §2.3.5 (M03) [MANDATORY] violation. The Site Host has no independent right to the HiON Marks. Logo file delivery is constructive grant of license.
• Discipline: all co-marketing creative is produced from Partner Portal templates by the franchisee or by HiON-approved agencies, with logo files used only for the specific co-branded piece and not retained by the Site Host.

6.5 — Missing the 15-BD HiON invitation

The franchisee’s ribbon-cutting is scheduled. The franchisee invites HiON 8 Business Days in advance, having focused on Site Host invitations and press outreach first.

• Consequence: §11.2.1 [MANDATORY] violation. HiON’s attendance may not be possible; the franchisee has compressed HiON’s planning window for what is typically a coordinated event.
• Discipline: HiON’s invitation is the first calendar invite the franchisee places after commissioning approval. 15 Business Days minimum; ideally on the Commissioning Readiness Request submission with the expected date.

6.6 — Modifying approved creative

The franchisee, after Marketing-Review approval, makes a small headline change (“we needed to test something different for this market”).

• Consequence: §11.6 [MANDATORY] violation. The approval reference on file does not match the published creative. Audit finding under §11.6 Metrics.
• Discipline: post-approval modifications get re-submitted. The convenience of skipping is not worth the audit exposure. Build the modification cycle into the local creative planning.

6.7 — Treating A&M Fund and Local Spend as fungible

The franchisee, managing cash, treats the A&M Fee contribution and the Local Spend as alternatives — “I’ll over-spend on local this quarter and under-pay A&M; they net out.”

• Consequence: §11.7 [MANDATORY] violation. A&M Fund is not deductible from any other fee. The under-payment is itself a §12.2 (M13) no-offset rule violation.
• Discipline: three obligations, three budgets, three documentation streams. The A&M Fee is paid on the FA schedule via ACH. The Local Spend is the franchisee’s own marketing budget. The Start-Up Advertising is the launch-period commitment.

6.8 — Influencer or paid-partnership engagements without approval

The franchisee engages a local creator, content partner, or sponsor without filing the §11.5.2 [APPROVAL REQUIRED] request.

• Consequence: §11.5.2 [APPROVAL REQUIRED] violation. Possible Marks-usage exposure if the partner uses HiON content in unauthorized ways.
• Discipline: every influencer / sponsorship / paid-partnership arrangement routes through the Partner Portal Marketing-Review Queue with the engagement specifics. HiON approves, conditions, or declines.

6.9 — Substantive social engagement on support issues

The franchisee’s social account responds to a public complaint by debating the facts, offering a refund, or engaging in extended back-and-forth about the support issue.

• Consequence: §11.5.2 [MANDATORY] violation (no substantive social back-and-forth about support). Compounds with §10.3.1 escalate-never-resolve (M11).
• Discipline: the Social Media Playbook’s response pattern — acknowledge briefly, redirect to the Tesla application and the Partner Portal support channel. No public adjudication of session, payment, or billing issues.

6.10 — Drift from the launch toolkit on ribbon-cutting messaging

The franchisee, wanting the ribbon-cutting to feel local, drafts custom speeches, custom press materials, and custom Site Host quotes that diverge from the launch toolkit.

• Consequence: §11.2.1 [MANDATORY] violation (follow the run-of-show, messaging, creative, Partner Portal template). The launch toolkit’s constraints exist for brand coherence across HiON sites.
• Discipline: local adaptation happens within the toolkit’s bounds — time of day, dignitary list, language needs, Site Host moment. The substance of the messaging stays in the toolkit.

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Section 7 · Competency assessment

Knowledge check (12 questions; 80% pass)

1. The franchisee’s Google Business Profile may list: (a) a customer service phone number for driver session and payment issues (b) a general business inquiry email, but no phone number or email that invites drivers to contact the franchisee for session, payment, or billing matters (§11.5.1 [MANDATORY]) (c) the franchisee’s personal mobile for after-hours support (d) any contact information the franchisee considers helpful to drivers

2. The franchisee may post comparative content about other charging networks if the comparison is factually accurate: (a) yes, if the data is sourced (b) yes, on the franchisee’s own social channels (c) no — §11.3 [MANDATORY] and §2.3.4 [MANDATORY] prohibit competitive, comparative, or disparaging messaging regardless of accuracy (d) yes, if a disclaimer is included

3. The ribbon-cutting must occur within: (a) 14 calendar days of commissioning approval (b) 10 calendar days of commissioning approval (c) 5 calendar days of commissioning approval (§11.2.1 [MANDATORY]) (d) at the franchisee’s discretion

4. HiON must be invited to the ribbon-cutting: (a) at any time before the event (b) within 1 Business Day of commissioning approval (c) at least 15 Business Days before the scheduled date (§11.2.1 [MANDATORY]) (d) only if the franchisee wants HiON to attend

5. Start-Up Advertising creative must be: (a) drawn from the Brand Asset Library, with local agency adaptation (b) drawn from the launch toolkit, adapted only within toolkit bounds (§11.2.2 [MANDATORY]) (c) created from scratch by the franchisee’s local agency (d) submitted through the Marketing-Review Queue regardless of source

6. A third-party EV station-finder app offers to list the franchisee’s site for free. The franchisee: (a) accepts; broader discovery benefits drivers (b) accepts if the app is volunteer-maintained (c) declines; the Tesla application is the single approved discovery channel (§11.5.1 [MANDATORY]) (d) accepts with FBC verbal approval

7. The franchisee may grant the Site Host independent use of the HiON Marks in the Site Host’s own marketing: (a) yes, for Site Host social posts only (b) yes, in the Site Host’s quarterly newsletter (c) no — co-marketing is joint distribution of approved pieces; it is not a license to the Site Host (§11.4 [MANDATORY]) (d) yes, with FBC approval

8. Creative that is not drawn unmodified from the Brand Asset Library or launch toolkit: (a) may be published with the franchisee’s signoff (b) must be submitted through the Marketing-Review Queue for HiON approval before publication, distribution, or paid placement (§11.6 [MANDATORY]) (c) requires FBC verbal approval (d) is acceptable if the franchisee retains documentation

9. HiON responds to a complete Marketing-Review submission within: (a) 5 Business Days (b) 10 Business Days (§11.6) (c) 15 Business Days (d) at HiON’s discretion

10. A&M Fund contributions: (a) may be offset against Local Spend in the same period (b) may be deducted from MSA charges if the franchisee meets Local Spend (c) may not be deducted from, or offset against, any other fee or obligation (§11.7 [MANDATORY]) (d) may be deferred if Local Spend exceeds the required amount

11. The Start-Up Advertising program and the Local Spend obligation: (a) are alternatives — meeting one satisfies the other (b) are distinct obligations — meeting one does not reduce the obligation to meet the other (§11.7 [MANDATORY]) (c) overlap by 50% (d) are consolidated under the A&M Fund

12. A paid influencer or social-creator partnership: (a) is a standard local marketing decision the franchisee can make (b) is acceptable below a $5,000 spend threshold (c) is [APPROVAL REQUIRED] under §11.5.2 — submit through Marketing-Review Queue (d) is prohibited entirely

Application demonstration — the launch playbook execution

A 60-minute live exercise. The trainee receives a Launch Pack containing:

• A commissioning approval letter dated this morning
• The franchisee’s pre-staged launch-toolkit creative orders, ribbon-cutting venue contract, Site Host briefing, and Start-Up Advertising plan
• A draft ribbon-cutting invitation list (missing HiON; missing one required category)
• A draft press release written from scratch by the franchisee’s local PR agency
• A Google Business Profile draft listing with a violation
• A social media post draft with two violations
• A creative submission backlog of three items (two compliant, one with a Marks issue)
• A Site Host email proposing newsletter coverage with a Marks violation

The trainee must, in 60 minutes:

1. Execute the §7.6 + §11.2.3 1-Business-Day launch-week cascade — Go-Live Notification, launch-toolkit materials confirmation, ribbon-cutting date scheduling, Start-Up Advertising plan confirmation, Site Host briefing confirmation
2. Identify the missing HiON invitation and schedule it (15-BD minimum)
3. Reject the from-scratch press release and substitute the launch-toolkit press-release template
4. Identify and fix the Google Business Profile violation
5. Identify and fix both social media post violations
6. Triage the creative submission backlog — submit compliant items immediately, fix the Marks issue on the third
7. Decline the Site Host newsletter coverage and offer the §11.4 co-branded template alternative

Pass criteria: trainee correctly executes every launch-cascade item, identifies every violation, applies every cited basis. Citation of section numbers preferred but not required if substantive actions are correct.

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Section 8 · Job aids

Job Aid 8.1 — The 10-item launch-week checklist

The §11.2.3 checklist as an audit-ready form with completion-date fields, supporting-documentation references, and Partner Portal upload references. Used in the §7.6 1-Business-Day cascade and as the launch-day standing review.

File: modules/M08-jobaids/M08-launch-week-checklist.md

Job Aid 8.2 — The 15-BD HiON invitation template

Partner Portal invitation template pre-formatted for the §11.2.1 [MANDATORY] HiON invitation. Includes the launch-toolkit alignment, the proposed ribbon-cutting date, the expected attendance list, and the request for HiON’s confirmation.

File: modules/M08-jobaids/M08-hion-invitation-template.md

Job Aid 8.3 — The marketing role-split one-pager

The §11.1 eight-row split as a quick-reference card. Front: HiON vs. franchisee responsibilities. Back: the three [MANDATORY] standards plus the §11.5.3 media-inquiry escalation procedure.

File: modules/M08-jobaids/M08-role-split-card.md

Job Aid 8.4 — Approved local channels card

The six §11.3.1 channels with usage and requirements. The franchisee uses this when planning quarterly local marketing. Includes the [APPROVAL REQUIRED] flag for community sponsorships and the FPR prohibition for trade shows.

File: modules/M08-jobaids/M08-local-channels-card.md

Job Aid 8.5 — Google Business Profile + directory listing template

Pre-formatted GBP and directory listing fields. Includes the [MANDATORY] standards (Tesla-app metadata consistency; 24/7/365 hours; Brand Asset Library photos; no driver-support phone or email) and a verification checklist before publication.

File: modules/M08-jobaids/M08-digital-presence-template.md

Job Aid 8.6 — Social media response patterns card

The Social Media Playbook’s core response patterns (acknowledge briefly, redirect to Tesla app / Partner Portal). Includes the verbatim language for the most common scenarios (driver complaint, fault question, comparative question, press question, criticism of the network).

File: modules/M08-jobaids/M08-social-media-patterns.md

Job Aid 8.7 — Marketing-Review Queue submission checklist

The §11.6 submission checklist — what makes a “complete submission” for the 10-Business-Day clock. Includes verification that the creative is voice-compliant per the Voice Playbook 8-point Training Diagnostic.

File: modules/M08-jobaids/M08-marketing-review-checklist.md

Job Aid 8.8 — The three-budget tracker

Three-column tracker for A&M Fund, Local Spend, and Start-Up Advertising. Each column has the FA-required amount, the franchisee’s executed amount, the documentation reference, and the audit-readiness status. Built to align with M13 financial reporting.

File: modules/M08-jobaids/M08-three-budget-tracker.md

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Section 9 · Facilitator notes

Pacing — 150 minutes (2h 30min, two 10-minute breaks built in)

Time	Section	Notes
0:00–0:10	Opening — the “support phone number” gotcha	Read a redacted version of a real Google Business Profile listing that included a driver-support phone number. Ask the room whether it’s compliant. Most operators do not catch the violation. Sets tone for §4.7.
0:10–0:25	§4.1 (Marketing role split)	Walk the 8-row split. Distribute Job Aid 8.3. Emphasize the franchisee’s local awareness role complementing — never contradicting — the national brand.
0:25–1:00	§4.2–4.4 (Launch playbook — ribbon-cutting + Start-Up Advertising + launch-week checklist)	The most operationally consequential section. Walk all 5 [MANDATORY] ribbon-cutting standards + 4 Start-Up Advertising standards + 10-item launch-week checklist. Distribute Job Aids 8.1, 8.2. Run Drill 5.3 (4-day-out commissioning).
1:00–1:10	BREAK
1:10–1:30	§4.5 (Ongoing local marketing)	Walk the 4 [MANDATORY] standards + 6 approved channels. Distribute Job Aid 8.4. Run Drill 5.2 (comparative social) and Drill 5.10 (Earth Day activation).
1:30–1:45	§4.6 (Site Host co-marketing)	Walk the 4 [MANDATORY] standards. Distribute the Partner Portal Site Host co-marketing briefing. Run Drill 5.4 (Site Host newsletter).
1:45–2:05	§4.7 (Digital presence + social media)	Heaviest pedagogical emphasis on the §11.5.1 [MANDATORY] no-driver-support-channel rule. Distribute Job Aids 8.5, 8.6. Run Drills 5.1 (support phone), 5.5 (third-party finder), 5.6 (influencer pitch), 5.9 (driver-incident social post).
2:05–2:15	BREAK
2:15–2:30	§4.8 (Creative review)	Walk the 10-BD response and the no-post-approval-modification rule. Distribute Job Aid 8.7. Run Drill 5.7 (post-approval edit).
2:30–2:45	§4.9 (A&M Fund + Local Spend + SUA)	Walk the three-distinct-obligation framework. Distribute Job Aid 8.8. Run Drill 5.8 (A&M Fund offset).
2:45–2:50	Close + application demonstration brief	Distribute the Launch Pack brief for the post-session 60-minute exercise.

SME handoffs

• §4.1–4.4 (Launch + Start-Up Advertising): Will Frank (Dev) per the Training Matrix is the content owner. Tony Cuomo (CX) on customer-promise integration.
• §4.5 (Local marketing): Will Frank (Dev) leads; Tony Cuomo (CX) supports.
• §4.6 (Site Host co-marketing): Will Frank (Dev) on the templates and discipline.
• §4.7 (Digital presence + social): Will Frank (Dev) and Tony Cuomo (CX). The Social Media Playbook is the operating reference; the franchisee’s Marketing Lead should be in the room.
• §4.8 (Creative review): Will Frank (Dev) on the workflow; Joe Lewis (COO) on the compliance posture.
• §4.9 (A&M Fund / Local Spend / SUA): Jim Frank (CEO) on the strategic framework; Joe Frank (Ops) on the financial reporting integration.

Decision drill — model answers (abbreviated)

Drill 5.1 — Support phone number. Decline to list. §11.5.1 [MANDATORY] — no phone number, email, or support channel that invites drivers to contact the franchisee for session, payment, or billing matters. The franchisee can list a general business inquiry email (e.g., for press, prospective Site Hosts, real-estate referrals). Phone is more difficult — if listed at all, it must be unambiguously non-driver-facing (a corporate office line not connected to site operations). Default: leave the phone field blank or list only the general business inquiry email.

Drill 5.2 — Comparative social. Decline. §11.3 + §2.3.4 [MANDATORY] — no competitive, comparative, or disparaging messaging. Sourced data does not cure the violation. Next two actions: (1) reject the post; substitute the Voice Playbook Principle 01 approach — “V4 Tesla Superchargers at HiON Parker: 350kW peak. Find us in the Tesla app.” (2) Brief the social media coordinator on the Voice Playbook §05 Never list and §10 side-by-side rewrites.

Drill 5.3 — 4-day-out commissioning. The 5-calendar-day clock starts Thursday 3pm; ribbon-cutting must be on or before next Tuesday. The chosen venue’s 12-calendar-day unavailability exceeds the window. The franchisee files a written extension request through the Partner Portal citing venue availability; HiON may grant or condition. Simultaneously, the franchisee opens negotiations on a backup venue that fits the 5-day window. The HiON 15-Business-Day invitation cannot be satisfied; the franchisee notes the schedule compression in the extension request and requests HiON’s guidance on attendance.

Drill 5.4 — Site Host newsletter. Decline. §11.4 [MANDATORY] — no independent right to HiON Marks in Site Host’s own marketing. The Site Host writing the article themselves and pulling the logo from business cards is exactly the constructive license the standard prohibits. Offer the §11.4 alternative: a co-branded piece from the Partner Portal templates, with both parties’ branding per §2.3.5, distributed jointly. The franchisee can also offer to write or co-write the article using approved messaging, with the Site Host providing the Site Host-side quote.

Drill 5.5 — Third-party station finder. Decline. §11.5.1 [MANDATORY] — Tesla application is the single approved discovery channel; no third-party charger finder, station locator, roaming service, or network aggregator. The franchisee thanks the advocacy group and directs them to Tesla’s communications channels if they want the site featured at the network level.

Drill 5.6 — Influencer pitch. §11.5.2 [APPROVAL REQUIRED] for any influencer, sponsorship, or paid-partnership arrangement with a social creator. The franchisee does not decline immediately but does not commit either. Path: submit the engagement specifics (creator handle, audience, content concept, spend, content rights, script controls) to the Partner Portal Marketing-Review Queue. HiON reviews and approves, conditions (e.g., script approval, Voice Playbook adherence), or declines. The franchisee responds to the creator with: “Interesting concept — I need to route this through our HiON brand review before I can commit. I’ll have a response in about 10 Business Days.”

Drill 5.7 — Post-approval edit. No — the franchisee must re-submit. §11.6 [MANDATORY] — no alteration of approved creative after the fact. The headline change is a new creative for review purposes. Submit the revised version as a new Marketing-Review submission; 10-Business-Day clock starts again. The “small change” framing does not waive the rule.

Drill 5.8 — A&M Fund offset. Decline. §11.7 [MANDATORY] — A&M Fund contributions are not deductible from or offsets against any other fee or obligation. §12.2 (M13) no-offset rule reinforces. Pay the A&M Fee on schedule via ACH; fund the local outdoor campaign from the franchisee’s own Local Spend budget; document both separately.

Drill 5.9 — Driver-incident social. Reject the proposed reply. §11.5.2 [MANDATORY] — no naming or identifying of individual drivers; no quoting or paraphrasing of driver interactions; no speculation about equipment faults or network issues; no substantive back-and-forth about support issues on social. The corrected response (per the Social Media Playbook): “Sorry to hear that. The Tesla app’s support flow is the fastest path to get billing or session questions resolved — they handle it directly. Send a DM if you need help finding the support flow.” The franchisee opens a Partner Portal ticket if the driver’s experience warrants follow-up; the social reply stays brief, redirects to Tesla, names no one.

Drill 5.10 — Earth Day activation. Multiple violations: (1) “clean energy” framing violates the Voice Playbook Principle 03 (politically neutral; no climate language) and the Manual §2.3.4 voice/tone standards; (2) the sustainability nonprofit partnership is §11.3.1 community sponsorship / §2.3.6 third-party co-branding = [APPROVAL REQUIRED] under §1.2.6; (3) on-site tents and activations must not interfere with driver journey (§10.1 / M11). Path to compliance: file the [APPROVAL REQUIRED] request with the proposed partner specifics; reframe the activation in the Voice Playbook voice (no “clean energy,” anchor to installed EV base or infrastructure math); confirm tent placement does not interfere with charging-bay access or accessibility paths.

Recommended visual aids

• A real (redacted) HiON ribbon-cutting from the existing portfolio — photos, press coverage, social posts — projected during §4.2
• The launch toolkit projected live during §4.2 and §4.3
• A real (redacted) Google Business Profile listing during §4.7
• The Marketing-Review Queue queue view during §4.8

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Section 10 · Cross-references

Modules

• M01 (System and Role Split) — Tesla mark constraints from §2.3.3 carry through every marketing decision in this Module
• M02 (Governance, Manual, Support, Escalation) — §3.2.5 external communications during incidents reinforces §11.5.3 media inquiry escalation; §3.3 audit posture covers marketing documentation
• M03 (Brand Promise and Brand Execution) — §2.3 brand standards + §2.4 on-site brand execution are the structural foundation this Module operates on top of. Voice Playbook is the operating reference
• M04 (Site Acquisition and Feasibility) — §6.2.3 [MANDATORY] FPR discipline applies to every marketing claim in this Module, especially at trade shows and community engagement
• M07 (Construction Management and Commissioning) — §7.6 1-Business-Day post-commissioning cascade is the entry point to this Module; the §7.6 5-calendar-day ribbon-cutting requirement is detailed here
• M11 (Customer Experience, Payments, Driver Support — §10) — §11.5.1 no-driver-support-channel discipline integrates with §10.3.1 escalate-never-resolve
• M13 (Finance — §12) — A&M Fund and Local Spend obligations align with the §12 fee discipline; documentation discipline integrates with §12 Gross Sales reporting
• M14 (Compliance, Safety, Insurance, Risk — §13) — §13.5 data privacy / cybersecurity applies to social and digital marketing data handling

External documents

• Operations Manual §11 (Marketing, Local Growth, Launch — all subsections)
• HiON Voice Playbook v1.0 — operating reference
• HiON Brand Asset Library and launch toolkit (Partner Portal)
• Social Media Playbook (Partner Portal)
• Franchise Agreement §12 (Advertising and Promotion) and §5 (Fees)
• FDD Item 6 (A&M Fee); Item 11 (Start-Up Advertising spend)
• Partner Portal Site Host co-marketing briefing template
• Partner Portal Marketing-Review Queue

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Section 11 · Source verification log

Claim	Manual reference	Status
8-row marketing role split (HiON vs. franchisee scope across national brand, Brand Asset Library, Tesla-app metadata, launch, local marketing, Site Host co-marketing, PR, crisis comms)	§11.1	verified
3 [MANDATORY] §11.1 standards (all marketing per §11/§2.3/§2.4/FA §12; no representation as HiON/Tesla rep; no Marks use for non-franchise business)	§11.1	verified
Ribbon-cutting within 5 calendar days of commissioning approval	§11.2.1 [MANDATORY]	verified
Launch-toolkit run-of-show/messaging/creative/template required	§11.2.1 [MANDATORY]	verified
15-Business-Day HiON invitation requirement	§11.2.1 [MANDATORY]	verified
Site Host + local dignitaries invited per launch-toolkit recommendations	§11.2.1 [MANDATORY]	verified
Ribbon-cutting documentation retained in site file	§11.2.1 [MANDATORY]	verified
30-day [LOCAL-LAW DEPENDENT] municipal outreach lead	§11.2.1	verified
4 [MANDATORY] Start-Up Advertising standards (FA-spec spend; in-window; toolkit creative; documentation)	§11.2.2	verified
Start-Up Advertising failure = material breach	§11.2.2	verified
10-item launch-week checklist	§11.2.3	verified
4 [MANDATORY] §11.3 local marketing standards	§11.3	verified
6 approved local channels with use and requirements	§11.3.1	verified
4 [MANDATORY] §11.4 Site Host co-marketing standards	§11.4	verified
3 [MANDATORY] §11.5.1 digital presence standards (current listings; no driver-support channel; no third-party finders)	§11.5.1	verified
3 [MANDATORY] + 1 [APPROVAL REQUIRED] §11.5.2 social media standards	§11.5.2	verified
§11.5.3 media inquiry escalation	§11.5.3 [MANDATORY]	verified
4 [MANDATORY] + 1 [RECOMMENDED] §11.6 creative review standards	§11.6	verified
10-Business-Day Marketing-Review response	§11.6	verified
A&M Fund + Local Spend + Start-Up Advertising = three distinct obligations	§11.7	verified
A&M Fund not deductible from or offset against any other fee	§11.7 [MANDATORY]	verified

Outstanding unverified items

#	Claim	Primary source	Resolver
M08.OUT.01	Social Media Playbook current contents	Partner Portal	Will Frank
M08.OUT.02	Launch toolkit current contents	Partner Portal	Will Frank
M08.OUT.03	FDD Item 6 A&M Fee amount	FDD	Jim Frank / counsel
M08.OUT.04	FDD Item 11 + FA §12 specific Start-Up Advertising spend amount and window	FDD + FA	Jim Frank / counsel
M08.OUT.05	FA Local Marketing Spend obligation specifics	FA primary	Jim Frank / counsel
M08.OUT.06	Partner Portal paid social / paid digital threshold	Partner Portal	Will Frank

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Section 12 · Change log

Version	Date	Author	Changes
v0.1	2026-05-19	Claude (draft)	Initial draft against Operations Manual v1.0 Working Draft + Voice Playbook v1.0. All Manual citations verified. Closes Phase C (Build, Commission, Launch). Six outstanding items defer to Partner Portal current contents (Social Media Playbook, launch toolkit, paid digital threshold) and FA/FDD primary (A&M Fee amount, Start-Up Advertising spend, Local Marketing Spend specifics).