Rashida
While it didn’t make its way across the big pond to America until 2005, the Michelin Star Rating is a coveted status symbol in Europe dating back to 1900. Earning a Michelin Star is a huge accomplishment for restaurants and chefs, and earning two or three is an even bigger accomplishment. In fact, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay actually shed tears when his restaurant The London lost its two Michelin Stars.
How could these little stars awarded by, yes the tire company Michelin, be so important that they cause one of the food industry’s toughest critics to actually cry?
Buckle in, today we’re diving into the huge marketing success one tire company accidentally found their way in to.
How the Michelin Star Rating Started
In 1900, Michelin brothers Andre and Edouard created their first Michelin Guide. The purpose of the guide was to drive demand for automobiles and tires. Remember, back then bicycles outnumbered cars and it was pretty tough for a tire company to generate business.
The Michelin Guide was a pretty clever idea, and really an old fashioned stab at what we might consider content marketing nowadays. Basically, the guide included maps and instructions on how to repair tires (boring), but also some restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and other key locations along the popular routes in France (much more interesting to the average person). Just like content marketing today, they gave the guide away for FREE. In less than 10 years the Michelin Guide gained immense popularity, becoming available in Western Europe, Northern Africa, Southern Italy, and Corsica!
The war in 1914 caused production to halt, but the guide was up and running again by 1920. By this time, the Michelin brothers realized they had a huge audience and decided to begin charging businesses to advertise in the guide.
In 1926, the Michelin brothers gave the first stars to restaurants in France. The star meant that they considered the restaurant to be a fine dining establishment. The rating system expanded in 1931, to become the Michelin three-star rating.
The Michelin Star Rating System
The Michelin three-star rating system meant this:
1 star: A good restaurant in its category.
2 stars: Excellent food, worth a detour.
3 stars: Exceptional cuisine, and worth making a special trip for.
The Michelin Star Rating ordeal makes its way to the US much later, in 2005, and is now available around the world. Real Michelin inspectors visit restaurants in secret and reach the conclusion of whether or not it deserves a star.
How Did the Guide Help Michelin?
The Michelin Guide created all the way back in 1900 has stood the test of time, now reaching people around the world. Earning a Michelin star for your establishment is a badge of honor and a valuable award in the industry. It’s safe to say that Michelin has made its mark, but how does this system really help a tire brand?!
The point of the guide and star rating was never really direct profit. Instead, it’s a powerful brand-building tool that increases brand awareness and authority. The original guide worked like an evergreen piece of content marketing. It provided valuable information to potential customers that was relevant to something connected with the brand. Essentially, it was like a travel guide, and you can see the connection there to cars and tires.
In Europe, Michelin grew their status and brand recognition through the guide and rating. Funnily enough, most people in the US don’t actually make the connection between the renowned Michelin Ratings and the tire brand, as the tire brand came here before the ratings. Regardless, now you have a quirky piece of trivia to take with you, and a reminder of the power of content marketing. Provide value to your customers, and they just might trust your opinion on fine dining.
