Ever wondered where the Michelin Man came from, or why Michelin agricultural tires have the suffix Bib in their names?
While attending a trade show in 1894, the Michelin brothers noticed a stack of tires that resembled a man. They liked the concept, but put it on hold.
Four years later, they met a French cartoonist who had just created a large regal figure for a Munich brewery.
The figure was holding a huge glass of beer and quoting Horace’s phrase “Nunc est bibendum”, which means “Now let’s drink.”
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The brewery rejected the mascot, so the Michelin brothers asked the cartoonist to re-sketch the figure to make him look like he was made of tires. Horace’s phrase stayed with the artwork and thus Bibendum was born.
The 1898 poster showed Bib holding a glass full of road hazards, while offering the famous toast to his scrawny competitors.
The caption: votre santé. Le pneu Michelin boit l’obstacle.
The translation is “To your health. The Michelin tyre drinks up obstacles.” The implication is that Michelin tires will imbibe debris, keeping roads safe for bicyclists and motorists.
For further information, contact Bibendum at www.michelin.ca.
