Brand Personality, A Michelin Story

This article is a reprint of an original article I wrote in 2005 while Director of Strategic Marketing for Michelin.

Brand ‘Experts’ are full of opinions on why/how to give your brand a personality that consumers can relate to.  Hey, it’s all about brand engagement; consumers no ‘likey’ = consumers no buy.

Michelin, built its essence long before laundry soap makers imagined that a brand could be something more than a name on a box.  

Michelin is known for the The Michelin Man (aka Bibendum), the ultimate in personality-driven branding. Originally inspired by a pile of tires that the Michelin brothers saw at an exhibition in 1894. Bibendum started out as a grisled, monocle-wearing, cigar-smoking archetype of the time - bound and determined to drink nails and road debris from a wine glass (nunc est Bibendum = “Now is the time to Drink”). He has since evolved into one of the most recognized and loved symbol’s on the globe.  

Since my first days in corporate marketing, my view of the brand world has always been indelibly framed by branding laws- like the script ‘F’ at Ford that was an original work of art not to be trifled with, or at IBM where tampering with the patented color blue was a legal matter and even at Craftsman where the brand name was NEVER to be used as an adjective (heaven forbid).  

Overwhelmingly the rule of thumb for brands is to build equity through recognition and recognition through consistency. In a profession where logos need to be a certain size, color and position - The Michelin Man tends to break most of the rules. Where Brands are supposed to be consistent and repetitive - Michelin’s brand smiles, pumps his fist and even loses weight —and you trust him and relate to him all the more. Try that IBM.  

If other brands with more abstract logos want to project a happy warm image, there is a lot of research and planning – will it be recognizable — will it erode trust—will it makes us look silly?? For the Michelin man to do it, the brand managers simply emulate their consumers.

Bibendum started life looking the way trustworthy individuals did at the time: no-nonsense, tough and take charge. Somewhere along the way the qualities consumers trusted changed and so did the icon.   

Yes, Michelin could be considered a brand born of naivete—conceived in the days when a logo’s depiction hinged as much upon the artistic skills of the truck owner delivering the product than any strategic marketeer.  There were no brand consultancies, no focus groups and certainly no Pantone color charts. Branding meant something different back then. That’s the charm of naïve brands—the people who invented them didn’t have a goal for their brand beyond the upcoming week and therefore came up with ideas that possessed an innocence.  Craftsman, Valvoline, IBM and Ford were developed in the same sort of vintage and fashion as Michelin – but held tightly to their no-nonsense approach since their births- no smiling waving logos- just an occasional refresh of color or size on the brand marque.

Creating a brand involves stretching the product’s message beyond the product itself. Good brands don’t just say, “We make a good product,” but “Our great product will make your life better.” Michelin does this in a way few other brands do. It makes the brand feel safe, fun, happy and humorous. Bibendum is retro chic, a national icon, a spokesperson and a fun loving personality that you probably wouldn’t mind babysitting your kids. In his naïveté, he teaches us to stretch our brand ‘legs’ and have some fun. Flexibility, warmth and personality count for a lot and can mean more to consumers than consistency, order and the right shade of red.

The mark of a brand’s strength is two-fold: recognition and relatability.  Nike, Apple and Shell all have recognition. Levi’s, Ford and Craftsman all have relatability.

The Michelin Man has both. And it only took 100 years.

1 year ago  /  Notes

Best reason to be in marketing: move alot and discover new restaurants!

My wife and I have one standing weekly tradition in our marriage of 14 years that remains unbroken: No matter what state of transition we’re in, how severe the weather is, where we are or what mood our kids are in.. we always take the time to go out to eat at least once a week.

Sure its a small extravagance, but for a couple with two young kids lead by a stay at home mom.. its a necessity.

So when we venture out for that weekly mind-saving outing that lets my wife forget about the prep/cleanup or the food pyramid or being creative about the meatloaf, we look for something unique. For that reason alone my wife casts a blind eye to mass-franchise restaurants. She is not merely going out to refuel, she is going out to escape. To be in a room with others who are not in attendance only to strap on a feed-bag (I can and have done this with the best of them).. because frankly we can get that at home.

Tonite we’ve hit our current favorite Italian haunt— Bella Notte, which also has the best bolognese sauce on earth..

Other faves— mostly from places we’ve called home at one time or another:

Best Burger: Miller’s in Dearborn, MI (no menu and an honor system for paying your tab)— followed closely by Emmets Brewhouse in Chicago and The Pub in Lexington

Best Mexican: tough one.. Xochimilcos in Detroit (Mexican sandwich!), Baby Acapulco’s in Austin TX,  (got to do the purple 151 margarita- they only let you have one)

Best Chinese: House of Hunan, San Fran (line goes out the door down the street, right past other chinese restaurants in china town)

Best Seafood: 3 sons lobster in Portland, ME (OMG try the lobster bisque!!)

Best Pizza: Buddy’s in Dearborn, MI (nowhere even comes close— try the ham and pineapple and then get a half-baked one to go)

Best BBQ: Salt Lick in Austin, TX.. (go there when you’ve saved up some pigout points. cause this place has non-stop beef)

Most kid friendly: Mello Mushroom, Lexington KY (kids love the psychedelic decor)

Best atmosphere: Dukes in Malibu, CA (who doesn’t like the beach?)

Best italian: Reginas in Chicago- not just cause my friend’s family owns it either.. the lasagna is unbelievable (good thing my mom doesn’t read blogs)

Most Romantic: Romeos in Austin, TX (trees lit up like christmas all year round)

Best View: the Leapin lizard in Austin, TX (overlooks a lake from 200 feet above)

Best Service: Silverados in Wash DC (tag team with nothing left to chance)

Best Music: Petes dueling piano bar in austin followed by Andiamos in Rochester. MI

1 year ago  /  0 notes

What the heck do I know?

Yeah, probably not too much.. or rather just enough to get stake-holders to listen to ideas that sound plausible, but in reality can only be pulled off by executional experts.

Once, I proposed getting rid of the baby in the Michelin ads. Result: bye bye baby

2 years ago  /  Notes