Wienermobile
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox automobile A fleet of brandmobiles shaped like a hot dog on a bun, called "Wienermobiles", are used to promote and advertise Oscar Mayer products in the United States. The first Wienermobile was created by Oscar Mayer's nephew, Carl G. Mayer, in 1936.<ref name="wienermobile1936" /> For a brief period in 2023, it was renamed the "Frankmobile", but following popular demand, the name was changed back to "Wienermobile."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
First version and debut
The initial 1936 vehicle—not yet termed a "Wienermobile" in publicity—weighed 2000 pounds and cost $5000 to fabricate.<ref>“See Him Tomorrow…In World’s Largest Wiener Car” (Oscar Mayer advertisement). Decatur (IL) Herald and Review, 10 June 1937, 10.</ref> Its first public appearance was in Janesville, Wisconsin on 16-17 October 1936, having been completed in Chicago the day preceding (15 October).<ref>“Tiniest Chef Given Royal Greeting.” Janesville Gazette, 19 October 1936, 7.</ref> Appearing with the new vehicle was Oscar Mayer’s “World’s Smallest Chef”— “19 years old, 42 inches tall, and weighs 45 pounds.”<ref>“Tiniest Chef Given Royal Greeting.” Janesville Gazette, 19 October 1936, 7.</ref> The identify of this first “Little Oscar” making promotional appearances is not known. Meinhardt Raabe took the position only sometime after his mid-1937 hiring by Oscar Mayer,<ref>“U.W. Midget Gets Job With Packing Firm.” Wisconsin State Journal, 9 June 1937, 10.</ref> and held it until at least 1941.<ref>“’Little Oscar’ Will Be Seen in July 4 Celebration Show.” The Escanaba (MI) Daily Press, 31 July 1941, 3.</ref><ref>“Little Oscar, Called Smallest Chef, to Be In City Monday.” Rhinelander (WI) Daily News, 14 June 1941.</ref>
The “Wienermobile” promotional name didn’t exist in the 1930s-40s and debuted only in 1951.<ref>“Kids line up for balloons and close-up of the new Oscar Meyer “weinermobile” that visited Chicago Heights Saturday” (standalone photo caption). Chicago Heights Star, 11 December 1951, 17.</ref> In the 1936-41 years publicity for the vehicle is variously “Wiener Truck,”<ref>“Meat Firm to Send Midget to Decatur.” Decatur (IL) Herald, 10 June 1937, 20.</ref> “Oscar Meyer Truck,”<ref>“Tiniest Chef Given Royal Greeting.” Janesville Gazette, 19 October 1936, 7.</ref> “German Wiener Sound Car,”<ref>“Koach’s-727 February Food Event.” DeKalb (IL) Daily Chronicle, 5 February 1937, 8.</ref> “World’s Largest Wiener Car,”<ref>“See Him Tomorrow…In World’s Largest Wiener Car,” (Oscar Mayer advertisement). Decatur (IL) Herald and Review, 10 June 1937, 10.</ref> and “Giant Wiener Sound Truck”<ref>“Grand Opening—Wolffs United Food Market” (full-page advertisement) Bridgeport (IL) News, 18 April 1940, 8.</ref>
History
The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile has evolved from Carl Mayer's original 1936 vehicle<ref name="wienermobile1936">Template:Cite web</ref> to the vehicles seen on the road today. Although the first Wienermobile was scrapped for metal in the 1940s to aid the US Army during World War II,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Oscar Mayer and the Gerstenslager Company created several new vehicles using a Dodge chassis<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> or a Willys Jeep chassis in the 1950s. The 1952<ref>Actually, the vehicle was completed and first appeared in 1951, though perhaps on a "model year 1952" chassis. See “Kids line up for balloons and close-up of the new Oscar Meyer “weinermobile” that visited Chicago Heights Saturday” (standalone photo caption). Chicago Heights Star, 11 December 1951, 17.</ref> model is on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Beginning in the 1950s Wienermobiles were usually piloted by "Little Oscar" (portrayed by George Molchan) who would visit stores, schools, orphanages, and children's hospitals and participate in parades and festivals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens is also credited with a "new look" 1950s design, taking advantages of the possibilities of modern molded fiberglass construction<ref>"Brooks Stevens reimagined the 'Wienermobile of the Future' and an American classic was born", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 19, 2019</ref> "to put the wiener in the bun" in 1958.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1969, new Wienermobiles were built on a Chevrolet motor home chassis and featured Ford Thunderbird taillights. The 1969 vehicle was the first Wienermobile to travel outside the United States.Template:Fact
In 1976, Plastic Products, Inc., built a fiberglass and styrofoam model, again on a Chevrolet motor home chassis.Template:Fact
In 1988, Oscar Mayer had a fleet of six Wienermobiles built using converted Chevrolet van chassis; by 1995 all had accumulated more than 250,000 miles.<ref>"New, sleeker wieners ready for the road" (Associated Press story). Baldwin Press-Register (Mobile, AL), 31 January 1995, 4.</ref>
In 1995, a new version increased the size of the Wienermobile to a length of Template:Convert and a height of Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> This version also included the upgraded large parallelogram windows which could now open, as designed by Sheldon Theis.Template:Fact
Following mechanical problems with the Isuzu NPR, Oscar Mayer decided to adopt a larger chassis to accommodate an increase in the size of the signature wiener running through the middle. While the Wienermobile was not as long as the 1995 version, it was considerably wider and taller. Craftsmen Industries went through numerous overhauls of the truck including a flipped axle and a leveling kit. This version held a record for numerous suspension problems, most leading to the chassis not being able to hold the large weight of the Oscar Mayer Wiener.Template:Fact
In 2004, Oscar Mayer announced a contest whereby customers could win the right to use the Wienermobile for a day. Within a month, the contest had generated over 15,000 entries.Template:Citation needed
In June 2017, the company introduced several new hot dog-themed vehicles, including the WienerCycle, WienerRover, and WienerDrone.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In May 2023, Oscar Mayer announced that it was renaming the Wienermobile to the Frankmobile, to promote a new recipe for its all-beef franks. It was suggested that the name change would not be permanent.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The name was changed back in September 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
For Carb Day, prior to the 2025 Indianapolis 500, all six Wienermobiles took part in the inaugural Wienie 500. Slaw Dog won the 2 lap race around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Source: Oscar Mayer<ref>Cruising in Time (web archive)</ref>
Wienermobile drivers
Six Wienermobiles operate throughout the United States.<ref name="Wienermobiles2020">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="103.3 WKFR 2019">Template:Cite web</ref>
The driver of a Wienermobile is called The Hotdogger. The Hotdogger job is to "meat" and greet people around the country.<ref> Template:Cite news
</ref> The duties of a Hotdogger include:
"...sharing photos and videos on social media, answering questions about the brand and the vehicle (the most frequently asked question is if there's a bathroom in the back, to which they respond: 'No, it's not a Weenie-bago'), and distributing swag."<ref name="Wienermobiles2020"/>
<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Only college seniors who are about to graduate are eligible to be Hotdoggers. Applicants should be getting their BA or BS, preferably in public relations, journalism, communications, advertising, or marketing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A Hotdogger's assignment is for only one year. Recruiting for each year's new Hotdogger cadre involves current Hotdoggers and Oscar Mayer recruiters visiting college campuses across the country. In 2018, 7,000 people applied to be Hotdoggers. As each Wienermobile carries two Hotdoggers, only 12 Hotdoggers are selected each year.<ref name="Wienermobiles2020" /> Notable Hotdoggers include former US House Speaker Paul Ryan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Models
Toys and scale replicas of the Wienermobile have been made over the years, with Hot Wheels issuing die-cast versions of the vehicle.Template:Fact
Notable incidents
On 5 July 1973, an abandoned Wienermobile was recovered by Seattle police about ten miles from the city's Oscar Mayer facility, where the theft had taken place.<ref>"Recover Missing $35,000 Hot Dog." Kenosha News, 6 July 1973, 2.</ref>
On 18 June 2002, in greater Washington DC, a Virginia trooper--whose job was "to stop large vehicles that might be carrying terrorist explosives" near the Pentagon--halted the touring Wienermobile and "directed it to an exit that would allow the vehicle to bypass the Pentagon."<ref>"No, Oscar Mayer Wiener Can't Roll Past Security." Tampa Bay Times, 23 June 2002, 14A.</ref> Template:Stack In June 2007, a Wienermobile with the Wisconsin vanity license plate of YUMMY made headlines after being stopped by an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer for having an allegedly stolen license plate. Officer K. Lankow had observed the Wienermobile slowing traffic and checked the license plate to determine if the vehicle was street legal. The license plate came back as being stolen out of Columbia, Missouri,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> so the officer stopped the Wienermobile and detained the driver. Oscar Mayer had not notified police that they had obtained a duplicate replacement plate after the previous one was stolen, and that it should be considered stolen only if not on a Wienermobile. The Wienermobile was released soon after the error was discovered.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Cops ketchup with Wienermobile Template:Webarchive</ref>
See also
References
External links
- Wienermobile Instagram
- Wienermobile photo retrospective, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- Road Trip America Wienermobile article
- Jon Stewart Wienermobile story
- Template:Cite web
- Curbside Wienermobile Review by Tony Barthel
- You Must Be A Hotdogger To Drive The Wienermobile Video produced by Wisconsin Public Television