How a publicity stunt became the Tour de France

As you may know, the Tour de France is currently on - the world's greatest cycling race.

What you may not know is that, the Tour de France started as a publicity stunt, to help promote the flagging sales of a sports magazine!

In 1903 in France, there were two sports magazines with similar names. The more established "Le Vélo" magazine (which means "The Bicycle" in French) and the newcomer, "L'Auto-Vélo" magazine (which means "The Car-Bicycle").

Due to the similar names, the editor of "Le Vélo" sued "L'Auto-Vélo" to change its name. The case went to court, and "Le Vélo" won. "L'Auto-Vélo" magazine changed its name to just "L'Auto" (which just means "The Car").

The editor of "L'Auto", Henri Desgrange, was worried that his bicycling readers might disappear, since the word "bicycle" was now no longer in the title of his magazine - and despite the title, in 1903 "L'Auto" was mainly a cycling magazine. So he and his staff decided they needed to dream up a publicity event to boost circulation.

The chief cycling reporter, Georges Lefèvre, is the one who suggested the idea of a multiple-day cycling race, longer and more gruelling than any other cycling race.

Someone asked, "you mean a cycling Tour de France?"

"Why not" he replied.

Just FOUR DAYS after losing the law suit and having to change their name, the editor of "L'Auto" announced the first "Tour de France" would go ahead, with prizemoney offered for the winner.

It would be "the greatest cycling trial in the entire world. A race more than a month long: Paris to Lyon to Marseille to Toulouse to Bordeaux to Nantes to Paris."

The Tour de France was immensely popular with the public, and sales of "L'Auto" magazine skyrocketed. The tidal wave of public support meant that the rival magazine, "Le Vélo" lost readers to "L'Auto". By the next year, the rival "Le Vélo" magazine was bankrupt.

And that's how the greatest cycling race in the world was started - as a publicity stunt to boost magazine sales!

I hope this story helps to stimulate your creative business juices... You don't need to start the Tour de France, but good publicity can help your business. :)

- Dien Rice


4 New Business Ideas Every Week

Dear Dien,

It also reminds me that when things get tough, the tough get moving, taking lemons and making lemonade.

What an excellent story!

With Passionate Gratitude,

Julie Jordan Scott




Dare to Discover Your Passion!

Great story, Dien! Just goes to show that free publicity can sometimes lead to incredible results. Paul Hartunian has been telling us this for years now.
Best wishes,
Bruce Arnold


The greatest success system ever?