Le Tour du Monde en 120 Images Grand Concourse du Chocolate Menier

A grand chocolate contest beating Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory by 7 years!

This delightful map of the world was drawn by J.B. Jannott and issued by the Agence Francaise de Propagande to help boost sales for the flagging Menier Chocolate Company. Established in 1816 as a pharmaceutical manufacturer, the company initially produced chocolate as a medicinal product. Rapid growth of the world’s sweet tooth in the 19th century pushed a more appealing product into the market. Menier Chocolate presented at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago and was marketed as one of the leading chocolate manufacturer’s worldwide. The First World War brought significant difficulties in production, while neutral Switzerland and the United States closed the gap. A Second World War brought further problems for the company, and it struggled to recover in the postwar world.

To help boost sales, Menier Chocolate would send their adorable mascot Jacqueline on a tour of the world, shown here on this map. This was a clever tactic, as the introduction of mass air travel and the experience of a world war made for a globally aware consumer class. Jacqueline’s route begins and ends in Paris. On her circumnavigation she stops at 120 different locations, most of which are represented by an illustration; often wildlife, local inhabitants (stereotypically portrayed), or landmarks. Of particular note along Jacqueline’s trip are the biblical scenes in the Middle East, a literal Black Sea, a long side trip to the Hudson Bay, and the total exclusion of the U.S.S.R. (this was the Cold War, after all).

In addition to a bright promotional piece, the map was also designed to boost sales through a competition. Buyers of Menier Chocolate would be rewarded with a slip represented 1 of the 120 locations on Jacqueline’s trip. On the bottom of the map are boxes where each piece can be affixed, in addition to lines for the answer to three riddles (clues were also distributed with purchases). Once the board was complete, it would be mailed in as an entry for a prize drawing. A previous owner of this map, age 4 (with great handwriting), filled out the address section, but the rest of the board remains blank.