The Co-op Requirements Grid

1,286published plans analyzed

60distinct requirements

16are proof-of-performance paperwork

5disappear entirely under our model

What the ad must look like, and who checks. All 16 requirements in this group.

Requirement	Why it exists	How the other guys handle it	How Co-Op Managers handles it
Logo required, prominent, current, correct colors83% of plans	Brand presence must be visible for the manufacturer to pay for the ad.	A reviewer eyeballs each dealer-built ad against the brand guide. Wrong logo version or size means a revision cycle.	Logo is a locked template zone. Current version and color rules are enforced by the asset library.
Prior approval of the ad before it runs81% of plans	Dealers build their own ads, so a human at the manufacturer has to check each one.	Dealer emails or uploads the ad; an approver reviews it in 24 to 48 hours; revisions restart the clock. 81% of plans require it.	Locations can only run templates from the approved library with locked brand zones. Nothing non-compliant can be produced, so there is nothing to approve. Approval routing still exists for spend above a threshold, not for creative.
Manufacturer ad materials preferred or required69% of plans	Protects brand consistency; reduces review work.	Ad slicks and files are mailed or posted to a download page. Dealers hand them to a local designer and hope the result passes review.	Template library with locked / semi-locked / open tiers per asset.
Product illustration or photo required66% of plans	Ad must actually feature the product being subsidized.	Reviewer checks the ad shows the product. Missing or outdated imagery is a common rejection reason.	Template zones pull from the brand photo library; a product-image zone can be made mandatory.
Brand or trademark name prominent in headline or copy57% of plans	Co-op is paid for brand exposure, not generic store ads.	Reviewer judges “prominent.” Disputes are settled by email.	Locked copy zones and headline templates; registry marks baked into assets.
Prorate multi-product or shared ads by space49% of plans	When a dealer ad shows several brands, each pays only for its share.	Someone measures each brand’s share of the page with a ruler and prorates the claim. Each brand approves its slice separately.	The manufacturer supplies either pre-loaded creative or a template with defined zones for multiple products or brands. The zones are locked in the template, so each brand's share of the ad is fixed by design and the split is known before the ad is built. No after-the-fact prorating.
No competing products or competitive logos in the ad39% of plans	Manufacturer will not fund an ad that also promotes a rival.	Reviewer scans for rival brands. Caught after the ad runs, the claim is denied.	Templates carry only the brand's assets; open zones can block uploaded logos or be limited to the approved library.
Online: link to dealer or brand site, pixel minimums, animation rules32% of plans	Digital ads need traceable destinations and legible branding.	Written specs, if any. Many plans say internet ads are “handled case by case.”	Digital templates ship with the destination URL, sizes, and animation rules preset. QR codes and coupon codes tie print back to results.
Exclusive single-brand ads only21% of plans	Stronger version of the above; some brands refuse any shared ad.	Reviewer rejects any ad with another brand in it.	Program parameter: disallow multi-brand templates for that fund.
No sale, discount, distress or price-reduction ads; regular price only19% of plans	Protects brand value and dealer margins.	Reviewer reads the copy for price language. Violations are denied at claim time.	Price zone can be locked, hidden, or validated per program.
Make no claims the manufacturer does not make18% of plans	Legal and warranty exposure from dealer-written copy.	Legal or marketing reads dealer copy for claims. Slow, and inconsistent between reviewers.	Copy zones are locked or limited to pre-cleared phrases. Regulated claims use fully locked templates.
Manufacturer has no internet specs or handles online case by case15% of plans	Many 2018 programs never wrote digital rules; every request was ad hoc.	Dealers ask the rep, wait, and often skip digital entirely.	We supply the digital rules the program never wrote: approved digital templates, eligible placements, and native reporting.
Prior approval waived when manufacturer-supplied ad materials are used13% of plans	Manufacturers already trust their own artwork; only dealer-made ads need review.	Dealers who use the official slick can skip review, but still mail the approval notice with the claim.	Every ad is manufacturer-approved artwork, so the waiver is the rule, not the exception.
Minimum advertised price (MAP) compliance9% of plans	Antitrust-safe way to keep advertised prices at or above a floor.	Reviewer compares advertised prices to the MAP sheet by hand. Enforcement is after the fact.	price zones hidden, locked, or validated against the program's MAP list per product; sale and distress language can be blocked.
Dealer name, location, or signature must appear9% of plans	The ad has to drive traffic to a real local point of sale.	Reviewer checks for the dealer signature block.	Locations insert name, address, phone, and hours into a dedicated template zone. It cannot be left off.
Minimum ad size, point size, or frequency5% of plans	Tiny or infrequent ads deliver no measurable brand value.	Reviewer measures the ad. Fractional-page reductions are a common denial.	Template dimensions are fixed; frequency rules can be program parameters.

Proving the ad ran and getting paid. All 16 requirements in this group.

Requirement	Why it exists	How the other guys handle it	How Co-Op Managers handles it
Paid media invoice91% of plans	Manufacturer cannot see the buy; the invoice proves cost and date.	Dealer collects the paid invoice from the newspaper, station, or vendor and mails or uploads it. 91% of plans require it.	The platform places the buy, so the invoice is generated internally and attached automatically.
Full-page tearsheet or copy of the ad as run90% of plans	Proves the ad actually appeared, with publication name and date.	Dealer tears the page out of the newspaper, or requests an e-tear, and sends it in. 89% of plans require it.	Tearsheets and e-tears are captured by the media-buying flow and attached to the transaction automatically.
Claim deadline after the ad runs (typically 30 to 90 days)85% of plans	Paper claims arrive late; deadlines protect the manufacturer's books.	Miss the window and the reimbursement is gone. Most common deadline: 60 days.	Claim completes when the ad runs. Claim windows remain a configurable eligibility check.
Original documents only; photocopies or proofs rejected46% of plans	Same fraud control.	Originals mailed in envelopes because copies could be altered.	Not needed. Obsolete under a system-of-record model. Digital originals are the record.
Manufacturer's own claim form41% of plans	Their intake process; standardizes what the processor sees.	A PDF or paper form per brand, filled out by hand, attached to every claim.	Not needed. The claim is a system record, complete the moment the ad runs.
Postal receipt, USPS Form 3602, or distribution affidavit36% of plans	Proves the mail piece or insert was actually delivered.	Dealer collects the postal receipt from the mail house and a signed affidavit of distribution.	Direct mail and EDDM fulfillment produce the postal documentation as a byproduct.
Broadcast affidavit or script (radio/TV)29% of plans	Broadcast has no tearsheet; the station affirms airtimes.	Dealer requests a notarized affidavit of airtimes and the script from the station.	Broadcast & Cable TV added as a channel; station affidavits and scripts captured against the order for radio and TV buys.
Screenshot plus impression or click metrics (online)28% of plans	Digital proof of performance.	Dealer screenshots the live ad and exports an impressions report from the ad platform.	Search, social, and programmatic run through connected ad accounts; metrics are native.
Rate card, or rates and circulation verifiable through independent audit24% of plans	Stops inflated media costs from being claimed.	Dealer attaches the publication’s rate card; the administrator checks the rate against audit data.	Platform-negotiated rates are transparent to corporate; no external audit needed.
Printer's invoice for flyers, inserts, direct mail21% of plans	Documents production quantity and cost for print pieces.	Dealer collects the printer’s invoice showing quantity and cost.	Print-on-demand runs through the platform; quantity and cost are system records.
Notarized invoices20% of plans	Fraud control on dealer-submitted paper when the manufacturer cannot verify the buy.	Dealer takes the invoice to a notary. 20% of plans still ask for it.	Not needed. Unnecessary when the platform is the buyer and system of record. If a third-party manufacturer still insists, it stays a manual step.
Copy of prior-approval notice attached to the claim12% of plans	Links the claim back to the approval decision.	Dealer keeps the approval email and attaches it to the claim so the processor can match them.	Approval and purchase are the same event in the ledger.
Proof of product purchase (indirect dealers)10% of plans	Dealers who buy through a distributor are invisible to the manufacturer.	Dealer who buys through a distributor mails the distributor invoice to prove they bought the product.	multi-tier channel structure. Indirect dealers prove purchases with the distributor invoice already on record or a distributor purchase feed.
Claim must be mailed, envelope marked, or faxed5% of plans	Legacy paper intake.	Paper claim in an envelope marked “Co-op Claim,” or a fax.	Not needed. Obsolete under the platform.
Online claim portal (manufacturer-run)4% of plans	Manufacturers that modernized intake.	Some brands built a portal for uploads. The dealer still gathers the same documents.	Not needed. Co-Op Command is the portal when the brand is the client.
Agency or manufacturer files claims on the dealer's behalf2% of plans	Some brands force spend through a captive agency to keep control.	Brand mandates a captive agency; the agency places the buy, charges a fee, and files the claim.	Agency-assisted and self-serve buying run through the same checkout and the same fund, so the claim is filed by the system either way.

Who qualifies, how funds accrue, what they cover. All 28 requirements in this group.

Requirement	Why it exists	How the other guys handle it	How Co-Op Managers handles it
Eligible media list (which channels qualify)94% of plans	Manufacturer decides which channels earn reimbursement.	Listed in the program PDF. Dealers guess, or ask the rep.	Approved media mix per program; eligibility check verifies media type.
Participation split (manufacturer pays X% of the ad)86% of plans	Shares cost so the dealer has skin in the game.	Dealer pays the vendor in full, files the claim, and waits weeks for the brand’s share to come back as a check or credit.	Any ratio by tier, program, or campaign, applied at checkout.
Terms undocumented; "contact manufacturer or sales rep"79% of plans	The program lives in a rep's head, not a system.	The program lives in the rep’s head. 79% of plans say “contact manufacturer for details.”	Program parameters are configured once and visible to every location. This is the core pitch.
Authorized, qualifying, or stocking dealer status71% of plans	Only the manufacturer knows who is a legitimate dealer.	Claims processor checks the dealer against a roster, often a spreadsheet.	Location roster and tiers are set by corporate; eligibility is checked before any spend.
Specific product lines or brands only57% of plans	Manufacturer funds some lines and not others.	Reviewer checks the ad shows eligible lines; processor checks the claim.	Per-program product scope.
Accrual as a percent of dealer purchases51% of plans	Ties ad money to what the dealer actually buys.	Someone pulls purchase reports and calculates each dealer’s fund in a spreadsheet, monthly or annually.	Accrual is computed from the brand's purchase data as it posts, per location. The balance a dealer sees is current, not last month's spreadsheet.
No carryover; unused funds forfeited45% of plans	Keeps liabilities off the manufacturer's books.	Funds quietly expire. 43% of plans forbid carryover; dealers find out in December.	Window expiry is a program parameter.
Excluded costs: production, talent, agency, creative fees44% of plans	Manufacturer pays for media exposure, not for making the ad.	Processor strips these lines out of the invoice by hand and reimburses the remainder.	cost categories on every order; production, creative, talent, and agency fees itemized and paid by the location unless the program allows them.
Excluded costs: postage, mailing list acquisition37% of plans	Same logic for direct mail; about half of plans reimburse postage, half do not.	Processor separates postage from printing on the invoice, if the vendor itemized it.	printing, postage, and list cost are separate lines on every mail order; the program rule decides which the fund pays.
Account current, good credit standing, no past due32% of plans	Co-op is withheld from dealers who owe the manufacturer money.	Processor checks with accounts receivable before releasing a payment.	A credit-hold flag per location, set from a receivables feed or by an administrator. Spending stops until it clears.
Must stock, display, or carry the line22% of plans	Ads should support product that is physically available.	The honor system, or a field rep’s occasional visit.	Stock and display check-ins: dated photo tasks on a schedule the brand sets. Missed check-ins can pause spending.
Accrual or funding period (monthly, quarterly, annual, program year)19% of plans	Defines when funds appear and reset.	Balances are recalculated and mailed as statements on the program’s schedule.	Funding periods roll forward automatically. Balances update when the period turns, without a statement run.
Indirect buyers claim through their distributor or wholesaler17% of plans	Two-tier channels: the manufacturer only sees the distributor.	The distributor collects dealer claims, assembles them, and submits to the manufacturer. Often unpaid administrative work.	Manufacturer, distributor, and dealer are tiers in one program. Each sees its own balances and approvals; indirect dealers prove purchases with the distributor invoice already on record.
Tiered rates by dealer level (Gold, Preferred, Level II...)16% of plans	Rewards bigger or more loyal dealers.	Tier lists maintained by sales; processor looks up the rate per claim.	Tier is a program parameter. Change a dealer's tier once and every rate and rule follows.
Excluded products: parts, discontinued, closeouts, seconds16% of plans	Co-op supports current, full-margin product.	Reviewer and processor check the ad and invoice for ineligible product.	Product library scoped to eligible SKUs per program.
Excluded media: Yellow Pages, classifieds13% of plans	Low brand value channels.	Listed as exclusions in the PDF; claims for them are denied.	Simply absent from the approved media mix.
Monthly statements or balance reports from the manufacturer12% of plans	Dealers need to know what they have to spend.	Printed or emailed statements, a month behind.	Real-time balances for every location.
Current-season or current-model merchandise only12% of plans	Same as above, time-bound.	Reviewer checks the ad against the current catalog.	Asset library dated by season; templates retire automatically.
Minimum annual purchase or volume threshold12% of plans	Small accounts are not worth administering.	Sales confirms the dealer cleared the threshold before the program year starts.	minimum purchase, tier, and authorized status are eligibility parameters checked before spend. The purchase figures themselves arrive via Dealer Dock .
Accrual based on prior-year purchases12% of plans	Sets the budget before the year starts.	Last year’s purchase totals are pulled once, and the year’s budget is set from them.	accrual runs on a current-year or prior-year purchase basis. The purchase data feed is Dealer Dock .
Cap or maximum reimbursement per period or per ad11% of plans	Limits exposure.	Processor tracks running totals per dealer to enforce the cap.	Caps are enforced at checkout. A location cannot exceed its cap, so nobody tracks running totals.
Signed agreement, participation form, or dealer signature8% of plans	Legal acceptance of program terms.	Paper agreement signed and filed before the first claim is accepted.	Fund Management (Documents & Signatures): any manufacturer-required document, agreement, authorization form, affidavit, claim form, acknowledgment, W-9, is completed and e-signed in the portal, stored with the program version, re-triggered when terms change.
Fixed or discretionary budget allocation instead of accrual7% of plans	Corporate sets a dollar amount per location.	Corporate sets a number per location in a spreadsheet and communicates it by email.	Allocations are set per location or tier and appear as the balance the location spends against.
Geographic or trading-area restriction6% of plans	Ads should run where the dealer actually sells.	Reviewer checks the publication’s circulation area against the dealer’s territory.	Radius, polygon, and territory targeting. A location can only reach the area its program allows.
Rebate, SPIFF, or incentive program instead of co-op6% of plans	Some brands reward sales rather than advertising.	A separate program, often a separate vendor, with its own forms and portal.	co-op, MDF, consumer rebates, SPIFF/incentive programs, and launch budgets run as program types in one ledger.
Reimbursement by check, credit memo, or off-invoice deduction3% of plans	How the money actually moves back to the dealer.	A check is cut, or a credit memo is issued against the account, weeks after the claim.	where the split does not settle at checkout, payout by ACH, credit memo, or structured export to accounting, one method per program.
Dealer must submit an ad plan or budget commitment1% of plans	Manufacturer forecasts spend.	Annual plan form submitted to the rep and approved before funds are released.	Allocation and approval routing cover planned spend.
National promotion tie-in or promotional windows1% of plans	Local ads amplify national campaigns.	Promotion calendar sent to dealers; ads outside the window are denied.	Locked templates for national promotions, scheduled by campaign.

Every rule in 1,286 manufacturer co-op plans, and what we do about each one.

Which of these rules is your program still enforcing by hand?