‘It’s a one-of-a-kind experience,’ Going inside the Wienermobile with the Hot Doggers

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — It’s one of the most famous vehicles in the U.S. and an icon of Oscar Mayer. And in the last week, it made a few stops in Central Illinois.

The Wienermobile has been driving the hotdog highways of America for decades, going on “miles of smiles” across the country. In its modern iteration, there are actually six such vehicles that cover an estimated 20,000 miles each in one year as they visit local events.

This year, the Wienermobile Our Dog — as displayed on the state-issued license plate — is driving around Illinois and other Midwest states. After visiting Evansville, Ind., Our Dog rolled into the Champaign area, visiting Monticello on Saturday and the Ford County Fair on Thursday. In between those appearances, Our Dog also stopped by the WCIA studio.

The drivers — “Mustard” Maddie and “Pickle” Pip — are known as “Hot Doggers.” Hot Doggers get recruited among graduating college students majoring in communication and journalism, but that isn’t exclusive criteria. Anyone can apply to be a Hot Dogger for a one-year period.

“It’s such a cool role and cool responsibility as you go around the entire U.S.,” Pip said. “You just get to do these really cool things. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience.”

“When else do you get to travel around the country and in 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels?” Maddie added.

Both Maddie and Pip have personal connections to and experiences with the Wienermobile that made them want to apply for the job.

“I actually worked for two years in the corporate setting, and I just loved Oscar Mayer and I saw the Wienermobile when I was on a hiking trip one time in Montana,” Pip said. “I was looking for jobs and I found it online and I had to apply.”

Maddie graduated from the University of Missouri, where Oscar Mayer frequently recruits Hot Doggers from the university’s School of Journalism. There has been at least one Hot Dogger from each Mizzou class dating back to the 1990s, and one of those first Mizzou Hot Doggers is a family friend of Maddie’s

“She’s like ‘It’s the best job I ever had. It’s so much fun. You have to apply,'” Maddie said. “From talking to her and hearing about all the memories she made, I knew I wanted to do it.”

Both applied and went through an interview process in the spring. Over 7,000 people applied, but only 12 got the job. Maddie and Pip said they are honored to have been selected.

The lucky 12 then went to “Hot Dog High” in Wisconsin, learning how to drive the Wienermobiles before heading out across the country. In addition to meeting each other, they also met the Hot Doggers who were ending their time in the Wienermobiles.

That was in early June and since then, Maddie, Pip and their fellow Hot Doggers have been going from town to town in their designated regions of the country.

For Maddie and Pip, their favorite part of the job is the smiles and waves they get on the road.

“People know what it is, wherever you go,” Maddie said. “Just driving around and having people smile, wave, honk at you, it’s a really fun time.”

Even simple tasks such as getting gas can turn into an impromptu engagement event and photo op, Maddie and Pip said.

The other thing they love about the job is their engagement with older individuals and what they called ‘I remember when” moments.

“We have so many people that come up to the Wienermobile and they’re like, ‘I remember when I saw it as a kid and I got one the Wiener Whistles,'” Maddie said. “It is a really special thing just to hear those stories of people who are seeing it and they’re now in their 70s and 80s and they remember seeing it as a child and just how lasting the Wienermobile has been in their lives.”

“It’s also nice to see the new generation coming up too, because little kids are like, ‘What is this thing?'” Pip added. “It’s a really cool thing for them to get kind of the same cool memories as their parents.”

Besides focusing on journalism and communication graduates, there’s two other things Oscar Mayer are looking for in their Hot Doggers: an appetite for adventure and a desire to spread smiles and excitement.

With their stops in Central Illinois complete, Maddie, Pip and Our Dog are heading north to St. Cloud, Minn.

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