Here is a photo from our recent trip to France, with one little detail we found perplexing.
You may see Bec, Amie and I in the reflection of the menu.
But then look closely at the Michelin plaque.
We couldn’t help but smile seeing the Michelin Man logo.
It just seemed so out of place for an award that was so revered.
We thought that the Michelin Tyre Company was sponsoring the Michelin Awards to increase the value of their brand through association and a shared name.
We didn’t think anymore of it until we arrived home and discovered a very fun fact.
The Michelin Tyre Company CREATED the Michelin Awards!
The company created the awards in 1900 to increase tyre sales.
You may be familiar with the Michelin stars in the culinary world, but not given thought to what they mean.
Well, even their star ratings are based on road trips and increasing tyre sales!
One star = “A very good restaurant in its category”
Two stars = “Excellent cooking, worth a detour”
Three stars = “Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”
I still find it strange to wrap my head around this.
But how amazing is it to have created a marketing campaign that has endured for over 100 years and become a cultural icon?
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