Less than three thousand automobiles were in use in France, where the Michelin brothers made their tyres, in 1900.
They thought: How do you induce automobile owners to drive more?
Idea: What if we build a guide with a list of great Michelin-starred restaurants?
1. Restaurants fit our wealthy target audience.
2. Humans experience hunger three times daily.
3. People who have had very memorable dining experiences are more likely to make long-distance road trips.
4. We get free tyre advertising in this book.
In 1900, 35,000 copies were printed and distributed for free.
Now, Michelin is a $23.6 billion business and it’s catalogue ultimately become an iconic resource for foodies everywhere (over 30 million copies were sold).
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelin_Guide