Wienermobile

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An Oscar Mayer Wienermobile at NAIAS 2005.

A "Wienermobile" is an automobile shaped like a hot dog on a bun that is used to promote and advertise Oscar Mayer products. It was invented in 1936 by Oscar's nephew, Carl G. Mayer.

Oscar Mayer & Co. embraced new vehicles to advertise their product with the introduction of Oscar Mayer's trademark Wienermobile. The distinctive vehicles were very popular and are still used by Oscar Mayer today. Drivers of the Wienermobiles often hand out Wienerwhistles, toy replicas of the Wienermobile that double as whistles.

The Wienermobile has been a success for Oscar Mayer, proving to be a unique means of advertising and marketing. 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.

1 History
2 Mishaps, Incidents and lots of fun
3 References
4 External links

[edit] History

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile has evolved from Carl Mayer’s original 1936 vehicle to the current vehicles seen on the road today. Although gas rationing kept the Wienermobile off the road during World War II, in the 1950’s Oscar Mayer and the Gerstenslager Company created several new vehicles using a Dodge chassis or a Willy’s Jeep chassis. One of these models is on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI. These Wienermobiles were piloted by "Little Oscar" who would visit stores, schools, orphanages, children's hospitals, and participate in parades and festivals. In 1969, new Wienermobiles were built upon a Chevy motor home chassis and featured Ford Thunderbird taillights. The 1969 vehicle was the first Wienermobile to travel to foreign countries. In 1976 Plastic Products, inc., built a fiberglass and styrofoam model, again on a Chevy motor home chassis. In 1988, Oscar Mayer launched its Hotdogger program, where recent college graduates were hired to drive the Wienermobile through various parts of the nation and abroad. Using a converted Chevy van chassis, Stevens Automotive Corporation and noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens built a fleet of ten Wienermobiles for the new team of Hotdoggers. In 1995, the Wienermobile grew in size to 27-feet long and 11-feet high. In 2000, the big dog was given the power of a 5700 GM VORTEC engine. The most recent version of the Wienermobile, built in 2004, has been updated to include a voice activated GPS Navigational System, an audio center with a wireless microphone, and a horn that plays the Wiener Jingle in 21 different genres from Cajun to Rap to Bossa Nova, according to American Eats. There are 6 Wienermobiles in existence. The current Wienermobile sports fourth generation Pontiac Firebird taillights.

[edit] Mishaps, Incidents and lots of fun

In October 2005, Pauline Langerholc received the majestic treatment of a ride in the Wienermobile because her grandson’s then-fiancee won a prize in Oscar Mayer’s “Win the Ride of Your Life” Contest.” After the trip Langerholc said, "I have liked hot dogs all my life, but I really love them now,” http://www.tribune-democrat.com/seniors/local_story_308145716.html

In June, 2007, a Wienermobile with the Wisconsin license plate of YUMMY made headlines after having been stopped by an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer for having an alleged stolen license plate. Officer K. Lankow had observed the Wienermobile slowing traffic and checked the license plate number to determine if the vehicle was street legal. The license plate came back as being stolen out of Columbia, Missouri, so the officer stopped the Wienermobile and detained the driver. The Columbia Police Department, that had flagged the license plate as being stolen, had neglected to add that it should be considered stolen only if not on a Wienermobile. The Wienermobile was released soon after the error was revealed. ^[1]^[2]^[3]

On August 9, 2007, a Wienermobile with the Wisconsin license plate of WEENR was ticketed by Chicago police for parking in a no parking/no standing zone on Chicago's Magnificent Mile^[4].

On February 11, 2008, a Wienermobile slid off of U.S. Route 15 outside of Mansfield, Pennsylvania due to icy conditions following a winter storm, drawing moderate local media attention. There were no injuries, and the Wienermobile suffered only minor damage^[5].