Michelin man saves the day (no cape required)
5 min read

Michelin man saves the day (no cape required)

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Published on
December 31, 1969

Today is an exciting time to work in branding. The world is changing. Instead of creating ads within a traditional framework, we now need to look at how brand communication can contribute to a consumer experience. It needs to be useful, interesting, entertaining - socially and culturally relevant. Not interruptive and talking (down) at people.And although, digital can be a great vehicle for brands to engage with customers, let's not forget lo-fi work. My favourite ever brand communication project is from 1900. It still exists today. Bigger and better than ever.Michelin is a company that produce Michelin tyres. It's is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world alongside Bridgestone.In 1900 the company wanted drivers to venture out with their car more and burn tyres. As a result, Andre Michelin, one of the company founders, started The Michelin Guide.Based in France, the guides were first produced to help drivers locate garages during journeys across France. It included good places to find food and lodging for overnight stays which had a focus on the quality and affordability of the meals.Initially the guide just mentioned a little bit about what food was cooked, how well it was cooked and the price, with the now-famous stars introduced in 1926. At first there was only one star to show a particularly good establishment, although the two and three star rating was introduced in 1926 to differentiate between exceptional and the merely excellent or good.As driving became more common, the guides extended to other major European cities and capitals worldwide, including London.The Michelin Guides are a comprehensive and the most respected guide to food and the Michelin star is a driving force for many chefs.The Michelin Guides is a brand communication idea that's also a massive business in its own right today. As an IP it makes billions of dollars from the Guides while it contributes to keeping people driving out to new locations that are rated in the guides.

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A crowded beach with people swimming in the waterby Grigorii Shcheglov