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The 2006 Paris Motor Show - The Michelin Man in 3D

How we bring the Michelin Man to life using sophisticated software

The 2006 Paris Motor Show - The animated cartoon about the birth of Bibendum

Here, you can see an extract from the animated cartoon made at the beginning of the 20th century to illustrate the birth of the Michelin Man from a pile of tires.

The living tire - An evocative pile of tires

At the Lyon Universal Exhibition in 1894, the Michelin brothers noticed an evocatively-shaped pile of tires on their stand. Edward said to André: "Look, with arms, it would make a man". André Michelin would remember this moment a few years later.

The living tire - Shaped by the brush

It was when looking in 1898 at an advertising sketch for a brasserie drawn by O'Galop that André Michelin had an idea: why not replace the bearded giant raising his beer mug with a man made of a pile of tires and holding a cup filled with nails and broken glass. The Latin quotation from Horace, "Nunc est Bibendum" ("Now it is time to drink"), declaimed by the character was also reused by Michelin: "Cheers, the Michelin tire drinks up obstacles!". This slogan had been launched by André Michelin a few years previously to convince engineers of the benefits of tires.

The living tire - A plump, jovial character

Michelin used a large number of artists who each brought their own interpretation to this character overflowing with humor and vitality. His shape was guided by the narrow silhouette of the tires, while his appearance and attitudes reflected the customer of the time, smoking a cigar and wearing spectacles, here in 1914.

The living tire - Pneumatic evolution

From the 1930s onwards, Michelin made increasingly less use of outside artists. As a result, the images of the Michelin Man became more standardized, although there were country-specific variants. Adapting to the evolution of tires, his rings became thicker and the character dropped his wealthy image to move closer to a broader customer base.

The living tire - A young, dynamic silhouette

In 1998, his centenary was an opportunity for the company to give him a new look: he appeared slimmer and more dynamic in the company's brand block.

The living tire - The Racing Michelin Man

The character’s sportive nature is often symbolized through this famous attitude of the racing Michelin Man.

A good genie at your service - Europe within reach

All over the world, the Michelin Man became the brand's ambassador. In 1905, Michelin opened a sales office in London. the Michelin Man changed into a knight to conquer this new territory, wearing a helmet and carrying a flag and shield. For his coat of arms, O'Galop had great fun drawing his accoutrements: the spectacles, the cup, the cigars and the cross-section of a tire with a nail incapable of puncturing it. In the caption, a line from Tennyson is adapted to promote his tires: "My strength is as the strength of ten, Because my rubber is pure".