Eugène Mercier

Eugène Mercier (1838-1904) is a French entrepreneur and a founder of a champagne company named after him. He is considered the inventor of film advertising.

Champagne Mercier

Mercier Champagne House was founded in 1858.

It is located in Epernay. Mercier was a small business that was part of the Owners' Union.

In 1871, he began digging huge cellars and construction of the world's largest barrel.

In 1885, cellars were opened to the public. Mercier installed advanced electrical equipment (firstly for that period), as well as a steam generator to illuminate the cellars.

In 1887, his barrel's tightness was tested with a new annual grape harvest.

Mercier arranged for his barrel to be moved to Paris for the 1889 World's Fair.

In 1891, French President Sadi Carnot visited the cellars and an excursion was organized for him.

Film advertising

In 1900, Paris hosted the last world exhibition of the XIX century. Eugene Mercier appreciated the potential of the Lumière brothers. He asked them to make a film about the Mercier champagne house, in which the owner himself appears on the screen. The world's first film commercial was shown during the world exhibition.

Enthusiastic about balloons, Eugene Mercier had an idea to consolidate the advertising of his company during the international exhibition. He secured a tethered balloon on the Field of Mars, loaded with bottles of champagne. During the 1900 World's Fair, the balloon was blown away by 20,000 people.