Have you ever tried to get people to adopt a nickname for you that just didn’t stick? Well, you’re in the good company of the Wienermobile.
This May, WBBM reported that Oscar Mayer’s beloved hot dog-shaped vehicle would be going by “Frankmobile,” with a fleet of six hitting the streets. Its drivers, known as “hot-doggers” were also renamed “frankfurters.”
Now, just a few months later, Oscar Mayer has revealed to “Good Morning America” that it’s bringing back the classic name.
“We had never changed the name of the Wienermobile before and to celebrate our new 100% beef franks we were all on board in doing that, but we missed the name internally and we’re excited to bring it back,” said mobile marketing manager Edwin Roland. “It didn't cut the mustard – it’s the same mission but it’s comin’ back to Wienermobile.”
Wienermobiles have been a symbol of Oscar Mayer since 1936, when Carl Mayer – nephew of the company’s founder – came up with the concept to transport the company’s spokesman. That first Wienermobile was a 13—foot-long metal hot dog on wheels and it first rolled out on the streets of Chicago.
During World War II the Wienermobile took a hiatus, but it returned in 1952. Wienermobiles were again retired in 1977 but brought back out in 1986 for their 50th anniversary. Due to the public’s positive response, Oscar Mayer developed a new fleet a few years later. These were bigger than the original Wienermobile at 23 feet. The fleet has been getting consistent upgrades since then and it is now a 27-foot-long wiener on wheels.
Roland said Oscar Mayer will hold an open casting call for the newest fleet of hot-doggers in January. They drive the vehicles to an estimated 1,200 events every year.
“Statistically it’s easier to get into an Ivy League school than it is to be a hot-dogger,” Roland said, according to GMA.