Think Outside The Bun: Where to Find Story Ideas
Do you wonder where you can find ideas for stories? Look for unexpected moments, like a visit to the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
The best ideas for stories often are found in the unexpected moments from common experiences.
On a recent trip to a grocery store, I met two women who have a life-long best answer to the question: “Tell me something interesting about yourself.”
Niki (Nicoleslaw) and Ally (Atthegrillally) with “Oh I Wish” Wienermobile
Ally (aka “AtthegrillAlly”) and Niki (aka “Nicoleslaw”) are Hot Doggers of the “Meat” Class 34 and official spokespeople and drivers of the Wienermobile: “Oh I Wish.”
They drive one of six Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles across the U.S.
The past two months, the Wienermobile has come up several times in conversations.
Oscar Mayer and I had a fun exchange on Twitter.
I mentioned it on a few podcasts.
It came up during a recent discussion about a work collaboration.
When asked, “Have you ever thought about launching a podcast?”
I replied, “I always have thought it would be interesting to tell stories about the day in the life of different jobs, like the drivers of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.”
Clearly I am the one bringing it up in conversations.
When the Wienermobile came up for the fifth time, I decided to look up their location on the Oscar Mayer website.
One of the Wienermobiles was going to be at a grocery store in my area in a few weeks.
I immediately blocked my calendar with: “Wienermobile” and did some research.
The first Wienermobile was created by Carl Mayer in 1936.
Fuel rationing kept them off the road during WWII, and they returned in the 1950s.
Each mobile has two Hot Doggers and travels across specific regions of the U.S.
It’s incredibly competitive to be a Hot Dogger.
12 are selected each year from a pool of 4000+ University applicants.
Applicants must be a graduating senior with a bachelor’s degree, often in marketing, advertising, communications, or public relations.
You are three times more likely to be admitted to Harvard than to be selected as a Hot Dogger.
Nicoleslaw applied through Linkedin after seeing a job post.
Allyatthegrill interviewed while at the University of Missouri, keeping up the long-standing tradition of Mizzou alums as Hot Doggers.
Driving isn’t the focus in the interviews.
In fact, you don’t even need a special driver’s license to drive the Wienermobile.
Interviews explore how you interact and engage with people.
To represent the brand, you have to be comfortable talking to anyone and creating memories.
Once selected, you spend two weeks at “Hot Dog High.”
You meat the other Hot Doggers and learn how to relish your experience.
Madison Wisconsin Police provide driving training to help you become comfortable driving the 27 foot long, 11-foot-high mobile.
While it’s a smooth ride and equipped with backup cameras and GPS, you have to constantly be aware of your height, turning ratio, and blindsides.
Hot Doggers sign up for a year-long experience after graduation.
Pairs are assigned a region and Wienermobile.
Halfway through the year, they swap pairs and regions.
Each week you travel to a different city.
Typically, one day is spent driving.
Then you have a few days off before spending six+ hours a day at Grocery stores, State Fairs, Ball Games, Parades, University Campuses, Corporate events and even weddings.
There is no bathroom or place to sleep on the mobile, so you have to plan ahead for those stops, and the attention.
When not driving or making memories, Hot Doggers get in touch with local media, make TV appearances, perform preventative vehicle maintenance, book hotels, do laundry, clean the Wienermobile, plan driving routes, and even call ahead to make sure there is space for parking.
Each team essentially runs their own business.
Driving a 27-foot Wienermobile down the road turns heads.
People smile, wave, and take photos.
You are your own parade.
Hot Doggers perfect their waving skills, second only to the Queen of England.
Retired Hot Doggers describe how weird it is to return to normal cars where people don’t wave or take your photo.
You are a celebrity in the Wienermobile; everyone is happy to see you.
Frankly, there are wurst parts to the job.
You are away from home for long stretches.
A gas stop after a long day of driving may take 45 minutes because so many people want to stop, take photos.
Hot Doggers recognize this may be the first time someone is seeing the Wienermobile, are always ready to socialize and patiently give fans their experience.
They work their buns off, meeting 1000s of people each week.
Hot Doggers are time travel guides of nostalgia.
The Wienermobile is a secret portal to ketchup with memories of childhood, favorite relatives, and summer BBQs.
In the 20 minutes I was there, I watched 25 different people, ages three to 73, walk up with a smile that was a mix of wonder, delight, and joy.
They took photos and climbed inside.
The Hot Doggers warmly greeted each one, patiently answered the same questions and were quick with the puns.
They took countless photos, handed out Wiener whistles and helped visitors measure their height in hot dogs.
The Wienermobile is the source of endless stories.
The first time someone sees the Wienermobile.
A day-in-the-life of the Hot Doggers.
Memories of guests seeing the mobile as a child or with a loved one who has passed away.
The world changes in the 86 years since the creation of the first Wienermobile.
Leadership reflections from the Hot Doggers about being intentional about their enthusiasm and positivity for guests.
Driving a bride and groom from their wedding to their reception in the mobile.
Taking photos with landmarks and famous pets in each city, landing on the front page of local papers.
The ideas behind each of these can be used to support many different outcomes.
Ideas around innovation or realizing your own growth and development.
Embodying leadership lessons on intention and bringing the best out of others.
Serving as a metaphor for milestone moments.
Each idea can go in many different directions.
Want to find ideas for stories?
Find something that helps connect people with a specific time, relationships, or memories.
Pick one anchor, like the Wienermobile, and you have endless stories.
Think outside of the bun – look for uncommon things in common moments.
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