Michelin introduces corporate signature

May 17, 2004

Groupe Michelin introduced a new corporate signature, "Michelin, a better way forward," at its shareholders meeting last Friday.

Michelin will use the catch phrase to represent the company's mission in its advertising, press relations and customer communications, according to its corporate Web site, www.michelin.com.

"We say 'a better way' because Michelin proposes solutions which are resolutely competitive," says Jacques Jordan, director of communications for Groupe Michelin. "We say 'forward' because it has positive connotations: It evokes both physical movement and the achievement of progress.

"Lastly, we say 'A better way forward' and not 'The best way forward' because, even though we ourselves are convinced of our solutions' performance, we prefer to remain modest."

The signature line -- "une meilleure façon d’avancer" in French -- has been translated into 33 languages. "Once we had found the right words in each language, we made all the necessary checks to ensure that the message was not used by any other companies," adds Jordan.

Michelin also incorporated the signature into its new logo design.

In North America, the signature will replace Michelin's "Because so much is riding on your tires" slogan.