Franchise - Object Writing July 08
admin July 7th, 2008
Speaking with one voice they taunt me as I walk along a strip of uniformed take away shops, they’re all here Burger King, KFC, Nandos, McDonalds nestled in among the furniture stores from IKEA and ‘Freedom furniture’ Each one a building block in a giant business model, made to conform to a standardised image, look , feel, sevice, product .
I talk to automatons behind counters who are mentally scanning page 732 of the Franchise almanac for the correct way to address the customers needs, all tied up in a replicated apron with a silk tie around the back. In the background the hum of vending machines and sizzling burgers or chicken wings and deep frying chips. The replicated ‘may I take your order please’ - ‘what sort of sauce’, ‘would you like to upsize’. Delivered with healthy repition, If you’re bringing home the bacon then it’s OK I guess.
A soulless hand reaches for my offering, the plastic notes slide from finger tips, almost like there’s little grappling hooks on the ridges of my fingerprint, the money seems to be screaming an unwilling… NO! before it is shredded within the maw of the corporate franchise, through the machine presses of the behemoth perhaps emerging as part of an annoying advertisement, or maybe as part of a wage for someone who in turn will by fast food or have their lawns mowed by ‘Jim’. He’s now branched out into electrics and aerials and tag and test I see! That bloke’s got a lot to answer for. I sit down amongst 7 Eleven fluro lighting and munch away on my pre packaged 100% beef burger and think it tastes a bit plasic, the bun is as appetising as a sticking plaster, definitively plastic…..
