CertaProSucks.org breaks new social media ground for franchisee advocacy

Kudos to the folks behind CertaProSucks.org for introducing a new way to communicate a former franchisee’s message.

This is the first application of a franchise investor, self-published animation…ever. A very complex message that is delivered in a beautifully simple manner. Dense with meaning. Well done.

Common archetypal themes (universal, systemic, across all systems) revealed by a cartoon:

1. sold during a psychologically vulnerable time (unemployment),
2. franchising is a sales game (not a product/painting business),
3. no experience needed (those in industry can see through “con”),
4. debt as a trap activated by shame,
5. time (after the honeymoon when experience comes in),
6. bankruptcy threats delivered via liquidated damage clauses (largely hollow threat to be sued for the royalties, ad fund, product margins for the years you are NOT a a franchisee; ie. the unused portion of your agreement’s 1st term).
7. rapid cycling of selling-failure-re-sell (churning) possible through the promiscuous use of gag orders,
8. shame-humiliation emotion is dominant human effect (It’s your fault, ad hominem, debt held by family),
9. sloganeering techniques (mindless repetition of self-interested platitudes, thought-terminating cliches),
10. the role of sociology in taking a loss or a spoiled identity (bankruptcy stigma, regret, isolation, and silence; On Cooling the Mark Out paper), and
11. reason for failure: individual, one-off or business model engineered to maximize franchisor ROI via predatory re-selling process (statistics suggest the latter discoverable via simple a math formula in the disclosure documents; 43% over 3 years).

xtranormal.com certainly looks like fun.

I like the potential of bullshit dialogue being revealed through humour and thought bubbles.  Allows for the easy recognition of hyperbole and the misuse of metaphor. Ridicule is a very powerful tool if used correctly.

Love to see a series.