This article explores the concepts of "brand" and "franchise" in the development of international quality assurance. The impact of corporate language and culture on higher education is evident and has been extensively analysed. Recent attention given to branding of universities reflects the ever-growing influence of corporate language and ideas. This article presents a conceptual exploration, grounded in a case study that documented the accreditation process of a Mexican university by a United States (US) regional agency. Discourses of exclusivity and legitimacy were widespread in the case; US accreditation was construed as a symbol of international quality given that US higher education hosts world-renowned universities with reputations that, like brands, can be franchised internationally. It is argued here that such new developments warrant further study and critique.