Oscar Mayer Wienmobile’s Hot Dogger will be giving tours. Please look inside.
Oscar Mayer’s Hot Dogger travels across the country in one of six Wienermobiles. Stop along the way at the Valley Junction Farmers Market and take a look inside.
- The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is a 7 meter long hot dog on wheels and is one of the earliest “product mobiles”, introduced in 1936.
- Zippo introduced the Zippo Car in the 1940s. Replicas of this car still exist today.
- Although not a motorized vehicle, the eight-horse Budweiser Clydesdale is the brewery’s iconic mobile vendor.
What’s better than an 8 meter long hot dog on wheels? Maybe a 26 foot long peanut or a 13 foot tall boot?
“Product Mobiles”, marketing vehicles such as the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and Planter’s Nutmobile, have been around for decades. Maybe nothing convinces you that you need a pack of wiener or a can of nuts like a giant version rolling down the road.
Kraft Heinz is now accepting applications for competitive hot dogger positions. This is a one-year commitment to promote Wienermobile nationwide. Only 12 lucky people, less than 1% of all applicants, will be able to apply for this job. In addition to driving their giant Wieners around, the Hot Doggers are also expected to schedule marketing events, appear in on-air interviews, and, of course, hand out merchandise.
Wienermobile is a classic “product mobile” example and one of the oldest (introduced in 1936), but there are several other brands that have utilized this marketing strategy over the years.
Introducing 7 “product mobiles” that will catch the attention of passersby. This includes items that have been discontinued.
LL Bean Bootmobile
As the name suggests, the LL Bean Bootmobile is a boot with wheels. The company launched its first Bootsmobile in 2012 to celebrate its 100th anniversary. According to L.L. Bean’s website, the 13-foot-tall, 20-foot-long bootmobile is a replica of the original Bean boot molded around a Ford F250 Super Duty pickup truck. This bootmobile has since been retired.
Over the years, LL Bean has launched three more Bootmobiles, two of which will be launched in 2025. One of the two cars was built in St. Charles, Missouri, outside St. Louis. Prior to construction, the Bootmobile was built using 3D rendering. The team then assembled the bootmobile’s shell before covering it with aluminum and fiberglass, according to a video showing the behind-the-scenes process on the LL Bean YouTube channel. I then painted the base and added a large braided mooring rope that resembled lace.
Since 2012, the bootmobile has traveled more than 350,000 miles and appeared in at least 25 states, according to LL Bean’s website.
Do you want to see it? Users can request a Bootmobile visit on LL Bean’s website events.llbean.net.
blue diamond nutty cruiser
Peanuts aren’t the only nuts on wheels. Blue Diamond unveiled the Nutty Cruiser, an almond car, in time for this year’s National Almond Day. The Natty Cruiser was built in Dallas and took more than 1,150 hours to complete, according to a news release.
The Nutty Cruiser, which concludes its “Bring Your Flavor Tour” this month, caters to all experiences, like most “product mobiles.” Blue Diamond employees use almond launchers to send packets to passersby. There are also several games set up for fun, including “Almond Hole,” a spin on cornhole.
Do you want to see it? The Nutty Cruiser schedule is available on Blue Diamond’s website at bluediamond.com/nutty-cruiser/#tour-date.
Zippoker
What’s that thing with four wheels and a giant lighter on top? A Zippoker, of course. The gray 1947 Chrysler New Yorker has two 5-foot fiberglass frames, 17-inch flint wheels and 24-karat gold lettering on the sides.
According to Zippo’s website, the original Zippo car was built in 1947 at the request of Zippo creator George Blaisdell. The car cost $25,000 to build and features a removable neon flame, a snap-down lighter lid, and the word “Zippo” written on the side in 24-carat gold. The car toured much of the United States during the 1940s and 1950s.
But when the car was sent in for repairs in the ’70s, it was too expensive and ended up in a repair shop in Pittsburgh. According to ZIPPO’s website, when Blaisdell went to retrieve his car, he found the store closed and the car missing. To this day, the disappearance of the original ZIPPO car remains a mystery.
By 1998, Zippo cars were back in action. According to Zippo’s website, the car cost about $250,000 to build, which is a lot by 40s prices. This car has covered over 180,000 miles over the past 25 years.
Do you want to see it? When off the road, the Zippo Car can be found at the Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store in Bradford, Pennsylvania.
red bull mini cooper
How many Red Bulls can fit in a Mini Cooper?
The Red Bull Mini Cooper has a large Red Bull can on top and a cooler at the rear where the trunk is located. It’s unclear when Red Bull started rolling wheels advertising, and the company did not immediately respond with further details when contacted by USA TODAY on Dec. 10.
Red Bull has not released any details about Minicorp, but the driver of the vehicle is a participant in the brand’s student marketer program for university students studying communications. Students drive mini-coops around the college district handing out free cans.
It’s unclear how many Red Bull Minicorps are currently on the road, but according to a 2024 Red Bull UK TikTok video, the company initially created 500.
clydesdale hitch
The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale Hitch, or Budweiser Clydesdale, is not an electric vehicle, but it is an iconic mobile marketing tool.
In 1933, August A. Busch Sr. was given six Clydesdale horses by his two sons to celebrate the end of Prohibition, according to the Anheuser-Busch website. That same year, the company arranged to send six more Clydesdales to New York City as part of the celebration. Over the years, more horses were added to Hitch, and in 1950, the Dalmatian was added as the official mascot.
According to the Anheuser-Busch website, 10 Clydesdale horses (and one Dalmatian) currently participate in the hitch, which travels 10 months of the year. The horses pull a red, white and green beer wagon behind them. A team of trainers supervises the horses, making sure they get 20 to 25 quarts of whole grains, minerals and vitamins, 50 to 60 pounds of hay, and up to 30 gallons of water on hot days.
Do you want to see it? The Budweiser Clydesdale family resides at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis. As for travel, the Clydesdale Hitch schedule can be found on the Anheuser-Busch website at budweisertours.com/clydesdale-calendar.
Not all “product mobiles” stand the test of time. Here are some fan favorites that are no longer in stores.
hershey’s kiss mobile
Although Hershey’s Kiss Mobile is no longer mobile, fans can still enjoy it in person. The 12-foot-tall, 26-foot-long vehicle features three Hershey’s Kisses. The vehicle was launched in 1997 and distributed more than 2 million Hershey’s Kisses before being discontinued in 2020, according to the Antique Automobile Museum website.
Do you want to see it? The original Kissmobile is located outside the Antique Automobile Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania. A replica is located outside Hershey Chocolate World, also in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Big Tour de France advertising car
Let’s turn back the clock even further and take a look at some of the iconic vehicles that Bic (yes, the pen company) created for the Tour de France.
In the run-up to the 1953 Tour de France, Bic debuted a vehicle shaped like a Bic crystal pen, according to a Bic statement obtained by USA TODAY. The car body was painted green, and the logo and pen on the side were illuminated at night.
According to a statement from Bic, for the 1954 and 1955 Tour de France, Bic decorated a French bus, the Citroën U55 Curse Cityrama, with the Bic logo displayed on the rear and sides, and six speakers hidden inside the vehicle.
What happened to the vehicles? Unfortunately, they didn’t stand the test of time. According to a statement from Bic, the ’53 cars were stored at the Bic factory for several years before being scrapped, and the ’54-55 cars are said to have broken down on the side of the road during the 1955 Giro d’Italia.
Greta Cross is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Story ideas? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
