The Michelin Man isn’t just a goofy mascot made of tires — he’s part of one of the most unexpected branding stories in history. Gordy digs into the strange evolution of Bibendum, the white tire man who started out as a cigar-smoking, glass-drinking Victorian nightmare before becoming the friendly icon we know today.

This episode traces how the Michelin brothers, Édouard and André, turned a tire company into a global authority on fine dining. From the birth of the Michelin Guide in 1900 to the modern Michelin Stars awarded to top chefs, this is a story of genius marketing, industrial innovation, and one of the best corporate rebrands of all time.

Learn how the Bib Gourmand got its name, why early tires were white instead of black, and how a stack of tires at a trade fair changed both automotive history and restaurant culture forever.

So, who really is the Michelin Man—and how did he go from rubber to roux?

#MichelinMan #History #MarketingHistory #bibendum #Marketing #BrandHistory #FoodHistory #DailyFacts #Michelin #michelinstars #michelinguide #brandmascots Music thanks to Zapsplat.

Sources:

• Michelin Group Heritage Archive. (n.d.). The History of Bibendum. Michelin.com.
  

• Musée Michelin. (n.d.). Clermont-Ferrand, France.
  

• Rossillon, M. (O’Galop). (1898). Nunc est bibendum. Bibliothèque nationale de France.
  

• Michelin Guide. (n.d.). Our History. Michelin.com.
  

Freedman, P. (2016). Ten Restaurants That Changed America. W. W. Norton & Company.