Branding · Global · 1900
Michelin: The Michelin Guide
A tyre company published a guide to restaurants to get people driving further.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readMichelinContent & Social · Branding
- Brand
- Michelin
- Market
- Global
- Year
- 1900
- Category
- Branding
- Agency or team
- Michelin
- Channels
- Printed guide
The context
In 1900 France had few cars. Michelin needed more driving to sell more tyres.
More driving meant more tyre sales.
The move
André and Édouard Michelin published a free guide with maps, mechanics and places to eat and stay. Restaurant stars were added in the 1920s and the three-star system in the 1930s.
How it was executed
- Gave the guide away free.
- Added restaurant stars.
- Kept updating it.
A tyre company published a guide to restaurants to get people driving further.
What happened Reported facts
The Michelin Guide became the world’s most famous restaurant rating, more than a century of content marketing that built authority far beyond tyres.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
Useful content built authority far beyond tyres.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Create value adjacent to your product.
- 02Content can outlast every campaign.
- 03Authority is built through consistency.
Indian brands can create content adjacent to their product.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: Michelin. Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Michelin.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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