{"id":15218,"date":"2025-07-24T14:00:39","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T12:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explainvisually.co\/?p=15218"},"modified":"2025-07-25T15:10:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T13:10:14","slug":"how-did-michelin-sell-tires-in-a-country-with-no-cars-three-examples-of-big-brand-content-marketing-that-shows-the-power-of-good-content","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explainvisually.co\/en\/how-did-michelin-sell-tires-in-a-country-with-no-cars-three-examples-of-big-brand-content-marketing-that-shows-the-power-of-good-content\/","title":{"rendered":"Michelin marketing strategy. From no cars to global brand"},"content":{"rendered":"

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How Michelin brand did the brand sell tires in a country with no cars? Check out three big-brand content marketing examples that show the power of great content. Discover how Michelin marketing strategy turned that bold idea into a global success.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Michelin brand<\/h4>\n

2. Guinness<\/h4>\n

3. Pirelli<\/h4>\n

1. Michelin brand<\/h2>\n

Before 1900, there were only 3,000 cars in France. At that time, brothers Andre Michelin and \u00c9douard Michelin decided to start a tire company that sold Michelin tires.[1] Sound like a recipe for failure? Probably many people thought so, as how do you sell tires to people who don\u2019t need them?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been 120 years, and the global leader is recognized around the world. In 2018 alone it posted 2.775 billion euros in profit, and that continues to grow year after year.[2]<\/p>\n

The Michelin brothers used content marketing strategy at a time when no one had heard of content marketing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

How Michelin implemented content marketing in the early 20th century?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In 1900, Michelin launched a book called \u201cThe Michelin Guide\u201d.<\/p>\n

The idea was simple.<\/p>\n

The more people who bought passenger cars, the more tires the company would sell. So they needed to show the French that buying cars made sense and that using the new invention would be easy and pleasant.<\/p>\n

That is why the \u201cGuide\u201d included information for drivers on the location of garages, hotels, hospitals and other places that could be useful to travelers on the road.<\/p>\n

Michelin printed 35,000 copies of the first edition. The \u201cGuide\u201d was 400 pages and was given away for free.[1]<\/p>\n

In those days there was no Internet or Google maps, so such a handy guide was useful for motorists.<\/p>\n

One day, the brothers found that in some workshops the workers stacked the guidebooks on top of each other and used them as tables.<\/p>\n

The Michelin brothers then realized that they wanted their Michelin Guide to not only be useful, but to become an object of desire and value.<\/p>\n

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The first edition of the Michelin brand \u201cGuide,\u201d a cornerstone of the Michelin marketing strategy, was published in 1900 in 35\u202f000 copies. Source: LINK <\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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How the development of most popular content and the introduction of fees helped Michelin grow?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In 1920, Michelin made changes to the guide that would make it a brand in its own right.<\/p>\n

The brothers realized that people don\u2019t value what they get for free.<\/p>\n

They stopped all tire ads and the company began to charge for the guide.<\/p>\n

They focused on high quality dining experiences so that people would want to have the guide.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It turned out that travelers valued the section with recommendations of restaurants the most.<\/p>\n

This restaurant section of the guidebook was expanded, and Michelin quickly gained a reputation as the most reliable source of information on where to eat.<\/p>\n

Michelin\u2019s dedication to gastronomy began a century ago and reshaped how the automotive industry builds loyalty. In\u202f1926, the company sent anonymous inspectors to rate restaurant food and service. At first, they awarded just one star. This bold step, a hallmark of the Michelin marketing strategy, quickly lifted the guide\u2019s popularity.<\/p>\n

In 1931 a Michelin star rating system was introduced, with three stars given to restaurants of the highest world standard. This revolutionary culinary excellence recognition became the foundation for fine dining culture that we know today. Receiving a Michelin star was valued by the culinary world and people who dined out.<\/p>\n

People were lining up to get their guidebooks and wanted to travel to distant places to eat at the restaurants recommended in the guide, and for this they needed cars.<\/p>\n

The company not only increased brand recognition and sold more tires, but also promoted a new independent product that has become a brand in its own right. From the day of its launch to today, 30 million copies of the \u201cMichelin Guide\u201d have been sold.<\/strong> And almost 100 years after the star system was created, it is the most prestigious award a restaurant can receive.[1] This lasting success perfectly illustrates how the Michelin marketing strategy transformed a simple guidebook into a global symbol of culinary excellence.<\/p>\n

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Michelin was founded by brothers Andr\u00e9\u202f(right) and \u00c9douard\u202f(left)\u202fMichelin. From the beginning, the michelin marketing strategy focused on pairing the brand with recommendations of restaurants or places to stay, helping it stand out from the competition.<\/em> Source: LINK<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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2. Guinness<\/h2>\n

How to get customers by bringing content marketing to bars?<\/h3>\n

Another example of brilliant content marketing from the past is the Irish company Guinness.<\/p>\n

In\u202f1951, Guinness director Hugh\u202fBeaver debated whether the golden\u202fplover or the grouse was faster.[3] He found no quick answer, so the debate stalled. That sparked a question: how many similar disputes go unresolved in bars across Ireland and beyond?<\/p>\n

Beaver hired two London scholars to gather oddities and records into one list. That seed grew into the Guinness Book of World Records.<\/p>\n

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The first edition was published in 1954. One thousand copies were printed and distributed for free to Irish pubs.<\/p>\n

A year later the book was published by one of the largest publishers in the UK. It quickly became a bestseller and by the end of 1955 had sold out.<\/p>\n

Since then it has grown into a worldwide phenomenon. Interestingly, it has broken its own record\u202f\u2013\u202fit is the best\u2011selling copyrighted book in the world.[4] The brewery is less linked to it today, yet the book still turned Guinness into a global powerhouse.<\/p>\n

Guinness’ strength was understanding what their customer needed<\/strong> – the ability to talk about interesting issues at the bar.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/explainvisually.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/ksiega-rekordow-guinessa.jpg” alt=”Ross and Norris McWhirter” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n

Ross and Norris McWhirter, the academics who were commissioned by Hugh Beaver, founder of Guinness Breweries, to collect and collate interesting facts and world records in one place in the form of a book. Source: LINK<\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

What made Guinness’s strategy particularly effective was how they transformed their business from selling just beverages to becoming a cultural institution. The company understood that car enthusiasts, sports fans, and people from all walks of life would engage with record-breaking content. This diverse range of topics ensured their brand identity reached every corner of society.<\/p>\n

The Guinness Book of World records – from pub curiosity to global promotional tool<\/h4>\n

Guinness quickly realized they had created something far beyond ordinary marketing materials.<\/p>\n

\n

The book became a genuine promotional tool that attracted media attention worldwide.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When tv commercials started featuring record holders and various organizations wanted to gain insights into human achievement, the Irish brewery already had its content empire. It turned out that exceptional quality content can build brand loyalty for decades. A simple beer company transformed into a global authority on human accomplishment.<\/p>\n

Can you break away from the beaten patterns of previous assumptions? Of course you can, and Guinness is a best example of this!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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3. Pirelli<\/h2>\n

Content marketing with class by Pirelli<\/h3>\n

How to stand out as a company can be learned from Pirelli, another brand on our list that has masterfully used content marketing.<\/p>\n

In 1963, Pirelli published a calendar with naked women – “The Cal”. There were many such calendars back then, as almost all construction and car companies were publishing calendars. It was hard to get space on the wall of a car repair shop but Pirelli stands by its vision.<\/p>\n

The photo shoots were organized with splendor, not in dingy garages, but in the most exotic corners of the world. Pirelli employed the best art directors and the most famous models in the world. In addition, the company relied on top photographers and was willing to make bold decisions.<\/p>\n

For example, in 1972 they hired photographer Sarah Moon. Today we don’t see anything shocking with hiring a woman photographer, but in 1972 this was not the norm. A woman could stand in front of, but not behind the camera.[5]<\/p>\n

Years passed, and people began to appreciate the artistic photos on the pages of the Pirelli calendar. Pirelli, like Michelin, knew that people did not appreciate what was too readily available<\/strong> and that’s why the calendar was impossible to buy, except second-hand.<\/p>\n

Only 20,000 lucky people around the world received the calendar, including Queen Elizabeth II.[6]<\/p>\n

As a result, even before the calendar is released, it is talked about all over the world. Photographers and models vie for the opportunity to take part in its next edition, and the iconic mascot and Michelin Man might even appear in jest among industry insiders.<\/p>\n

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Pirelli stood out from the competition by organizing the photo shoots with glamour – not in dingy auto repair shops, but in an artistic, original way, involving the world’s best photographers. Photo: card from “The Cal” 50th anniversary calendar, \u00a9 Pirelli Calendar 2014, Helmut Newton<\/em><\/p>\n

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Sometimes an elegant book on a wall does the job better than a fleet of online banners<\/h4>\n

Few brands blend horsepower with high fashion as smoothly as Pirelli. Its glossy calendar, released only to a select few, became a status symbol admired equally by collectors and petrolheads. Decade after decade, the project reminded the market that real loyalty grows from memorable experiences.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to do good content marketing without understanding your customer\u2019s needs<\/strong><\/h3>\n

All three of these content projects couldn\u2019t be successful without a deep understanding of the target market. Sometimes, even when we know those needs, it\u2019s not easy to hit the exact format that customers want.<\/p>\n

Sometimes you must stray\u202f\u2014\u202flike the Michelin Guide, which became a hit only after its paid, restaurant\u2011focused edition. Later, Michelin used influencer campaigns and mobile apps to share engaging tips on tire safety, fuel efficiency, and sustainability.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a path worth pursuing.<\/p>\n

\n

As \u00c9douard Michelin summed it up:<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you advertise to lie to people, you will bring your company to ruin. But if you advertise to give people the truth and specific information, it will bring you success.<\/p>\n

I discovered many years ago that explaining to a person how best to use a tire and making him want to use it is much better than trying to convince him that your tire is the best in the world. If you believe your tire is the best, let the customer find out for himself.\u201d[7]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Michelin marketing strategy in our reality – what lessons can we learn from these strategies?<\/h2>\n

The journeys of Michelin, Guinness, and Pirelli show just how far smart storytelling can take a brand. Their success speaks to any modern business trying to stay memorable online:<\/p>\n

focus on clear principles,<\/strong><\/p>\n

craft content people actually care about,<\/strong><\/p>\n

and you\u2019ll stand out, even in the noisy, fast-moving world of social media.<\/p>\n