What began as a simple debate during a bird hunting trip in the 1950s is now a globally recognised authority on record-breaking feats. The Guinness World Records (GWR), once called the Guinness Book of Records, was originally created to help settle pub arguments with facts. Today, it tracks and verifies some of the world’s most extreme and unusual achievements.

The idea for the record book came about in the 1950s when Sir Hugh Beaver, the managing director of Guinness Breweries, went on a shooting trip in County Wexford, Ireland. During the outing, he got into an argument with his friends about the fastest game bird in Europe. When they couldn’t find an answer in any book, Sir Hugh realised there was a gap in reference material, and that it could be filled.

At that moment, the idea of creating a book of facts was born, a book that could end common disputes, especially those happening over drinks in pubs.

In 1954, Sir Hugh decided to launch a Guinness marketing campaign around the concept of ending pub debates with facts. To bring his vision to life, he reached out to Ross and Norris McWhirter, twin brothers known for their deep research skills.

The McWhirters began collecting records from around the world, from sports and science to nature and human accomplishments. Their work led to the first-ever edition of the Guinness Book of Records, which was published in August 1955.

It quickly became a massive hit. Since its debut, the book has sold over 150 million copies worldwide and averages 3.5 million copies in annual sales. It's also been translated into more than 40 languages, making it one of the best-selling copyrighted books in history.

The Guinness World Records is well-known for tracking extremes—like the tallest person, the heaviest onion, or the most distant human-made object. But it also includes fun and quirky records. For example:

  • Arranging the most coins in 30 seconds

  • Shooting an arrow with your feet

  • Squeezing the most people into a car

These odd yet impressive challenges help make the record book as entertaining as it is informative.

In 1999, the company changed its name from Guinness Book of Records to Guinness World Records to match its expanding reach. Over time, it evolved beyond books, launching a TV show in the U.S. called Guinness World Records Primetime and opening a museum in Hollywood.

Today, GWR has a global presence with offices in London, New York, Beijing, Tokyo, and Dubai. It also works with brand ambassadors and expert panellists across the world to verify records and celebrate achievers.

Recently, the brand shared its origin story online in response to a post asking for a personal piece of “lore.” GWR replied:

“We were founded because two people couldn't agree on what the fastest bird was whilst they were out hunting.”

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