The Surprising Business Model Behind Guinness World Records

By Bronson Arcuri,

Tsering Bista

Published September 18, 2020 at 8:00 AM EDT

The people behind the Guinness World Records used to make money by, well, selling books. But with the rise of the Internet came a decline in book sales, and so they had to create a new business model — selling publicity.

This is the story of how Guinness (yeah, like the brewery) got into the business of record-breaking, and how one Planet Money intern broke a world record involving the president of Georgia, the former Soviet republic.

Listen to the original Planet Money podcast episode here! And while you're at it, follow us on TikTok, and subscribe to our video series and podcast.

Bronson Arcuri

Bronson Arcuri is a video producer at NPR, where he directs the "Planet Money Shorts" video series and helps out with Tiny Desk Concerts from time to time. He also produced "Elise Tries" and "Ron's Office Hours" along with the "Junior Bugler" series, which he still insists was "pretty good for what it was."

See stories by Bronson Arcuri

Tsering Bista

See stories by Tsering Bista

WRVO is at a critical moment.

Recent cuts to federal funding are challenging our mission to serve central and upstate New York with trusted journalism, vital local coverage, and the diverse programming that informs and connects our communities. This is the moment to join our community of supporters and help keep journalists on the ground, asking hard questions that matter to our region.

Stand with public media and make your gift today—not just for yourself, but for all who depend on WRVO as a trusted resource and civic cornerstone in central and upstate New York.

Support WRVO now