It’s easy to see the Marshmallow man on billboards or in front of tire stores.
Although somewhat bizarre, it cannot be denied that this image is very reminiscent of most drivers. Because once you find out where the Marshmallow man is, it is also a sign of a tire shop nearby.
But have you ever wondered what this character’s true identity is? Will Marshmallow man tires have the quality their mascot always advertises? Check out the article below to get the most accurate answer.
What Is The Marshmallow Man Tire?
The Marshmallow Man, or Bibendum in French, is the most popular mascot of the famous Michelin tire brand. Therefore, this icon also owns another name, the Michelin Man.
Michelin has been using this strange image for more than 100 years up to the present time. And this unique design has been imprinted in the subconscious of many people.
Marshmallow Man is a common name because most see this mascot as a giant marshmallow. Many others also said they think of clouds when looking at this brand.
If you don’t know, the rough shape of the liquid rubber, when poured into the mold, will also create folds like on Marshmallow Man’s body.
It is a thick rubber liquid with a sharp tip like ice cream machines leave quick tips.
Take a close look at Bibendum’s head, and you’ll notice the same feature. So the design team paid much attention to the tire-making process to have enough relevant images during the Michelin Man construction.
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What Is The History Of The Michelin Tires Mascot?
The history of Michelin Tires Mascot goes back more than 100 years, from the 1898s to the 19th century. Although during this time, the Michelin brand has had many changes. But the image of the white rubber man has remained stable through the ages.
To get such a unique logo, what did the design team do? The answer will be correct in the section below.
Initially, the name of the Marshmallow man was Bibendum or Bib in French and Michelin Man in English. The two founders were also the first to come up with the idea of a white person from France.
While attending an auto industry exhibition in Lyon, France, in 1894, Édouard and André noticed the massive pile of tires decorating the lobby.
This idea stayed in their heads until four years later. In 1898, the brothers contacted the French cartoonist Marius Rossillon to begin to realize this image.
Combining tires and rubber, the prototype of the Marshmallow man was finally born. If we compare this image with the current Bibendum, we will quickly notice many differences.
But overall, this image is becoming more beautiful and more accessible to see than the first generations.
Why Is The Michelin Man White?
There is a lot of controversy about why the Michelin Man is white while the tires are usually black. The cause of this incident has nothing to do with racial or political issues, as many think.
It all comes down to the early rubber or tire texture. But whichever idea makes more sense, it’s essential to know that Michelin won’t plug any crazy ideas into their logo.
Bibendum
Rubber’s white color is the color of unrefined natural rubber. The material retains its characteristic yellow-white color when it becomes a solid block with high elasticity.
This stable mid-color may be the idea that Marius Rossillon chose to account for the white paint on the character.
Tire color
In addition, many people also think that the white color of Michelin Man comes from the original color of the tire when manufacturing technologies have not yet developed. ‘
At this time, almost all tire models have the same light white or grayish-white color of rubber. In addition, they are also somewhat bright due to the metallic zinc oxide additives.
If you ask a person living in the early 20th century, they will undoubtedly think black tires are absurd. For this reason, Bibendum will certainly have a bright white color.
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Why Is The Michelin Man Named Bibendum?
Bibendum, or Bib for short, has become a proper noun for Marshmallow or Michelin Man. But before, you couldn’t look up this phrase as a noun in any dictionary.
Because then Bibendum was simply part of the slogan “Nunc est Bibendum” of the poet Horace’s Odes. And if you translate it, the meaning of this sentence is simply, “Now it’s time to drink.”
At first glance, this phrase has nothing to do with the Marshmallow man image. But if you put it in the proper context that Rossillon sees, we will get a very reasonable answer.
According to many accounts, Rossillon saw the phrase “Nunc est Bibendum” on a discarded poster. The image on it is a person holding a knife and fork.
So he wondered what if he replaced the Michelin Man logo and changed his cutlery to broken glass and nails.
And that is how the name Bibendum was born to refer to the excellent durability of Michelin tires.
Did The Michelin Man Always Look The Same?
In each period, the Michelin Man represents a different meaning, so, understandably, the images have changed.
The first-generation Bibendum was a sinister character who smoked cigars and drank beer. During this time, only wealthy nobles could afford to own cars.
Therefore, Bib also had to use this image to attract the upper class. But by the 1920s, the Marshmallow man had become gentler and tended to decrease in size.
Nowadays, you can see that Bibendum is more cartoonish and friendly. This change is mainly to increase friendliness, even with children.
Michelin Tires Pros and Cons
Marshmallow man has done an excellent job of advertising and helping the Michelin brand become more famous. But if this tire is not good quality, no one will use them.
Of course, Michelin tires will also have disadvantages, and you need to know to make an appropriate judgment.
Michelin Tires Pros
Few brands offer users as much choice in size and model as Michelin. This brand supports everything from sedans and SUVs to trucks or passenger cars. Similar to the dimensions, we also have many variations of a tire model.
You need to look up the list and choose the right product with the correct parameters for the rim. This process will be more challenging in other brands than I mentioned.
Michelin is one of the leaders in applying new technology to tire manufacturing and manufacturing processes.
In particular, the fuel-saving technologies are the most unmistakable evidence of the effectiveness of the long-term research process of this brand. Now you get help from the engine, and even the tires play a big part in reducing fuel consumption.
Michelin Tires Cons
Michelin is a long-standing brand with a highly outstanding reputation. Not only that, but each product it creates contains many unique technologies and features.
But also because of this perfection, the price of Michelin tires is always much higher than the general price. And this is the most significant barrier for customers to access the product, especially the group that needs strong spending ability.
Conclusion
So we have learned about Marshmallow man tires and other related information. After today’s article, you will know more about the Marshmallow man image and Michelin products.
Thanks for reading!
A guy who graduated with honors with 2 college degrees Ferris State University & Austin Peay State University.After finishing school, he specialized in researching and testing tires, rims as well as brakes.Especially he has a love for off-road vehicles…
