Ricard: 90 Years of Iconic Objects

Cult items from an iconic brand rooted in French heritage, this book celebrates 50 years of Ricard. Text in English and French.

This book pays tribute to nine decades of iconic advertising items from the Ricard brand retracing their history and their impact on our collective memory since the invention of pastis.

From the first bottles to the emblematic carafes and ashtrays, each item tells a part of the Ricard’s history, shaped by the creative vision of Paul Ricard and his successors. The book delves into major advertising campaigns from the first poster with Darcelis “Garçon ! A Ricard” to the commercial jingles on the radio, painted walls, artistic collaborations and collections designed by renowned creators (Garouste and Bonetti, Yves Oppenheim, Olivier Gagnère, Marc Newson, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, studio 5.5, Yorgo Tloupas etc.)… Not to mention bucket hats, parasols, Citroën 2CV and other advertising caravans!

After revisiting the history of Ricard “the real pastis from Marseille” and its iconic bottle, the book showcases numerous Ricard items and comes back to its greatest advertising campaigns.

Text in English and French.

Guillaume Picon is a historian specializing in the study of institutional archives. He is the author of various books: Larousse guide to kings of France (Larousse, 2008), Versailles: private invitation (Flammarion, 2015), Orient-Express: from the history to the legend (Albin Michel, 2017).