For many years, Mobil promoted events like the Safety/Economy Run as a way to build loyalty among a young demographic of drivers and to help promote safe and efficient driving practices. The events were open to anyone who wanted to participate and they could drive whatever they wanted as well. Using a scoring system the vehicles and their occupants were weighed and off they went on a loop, usually about 100 miles before they returned, tanked up, and found out how well or poorly they did.
The video below was made in 1956 to promote the practice of setting these events up at high schools. Why? The dangers of hot rods, street racing, and deadly behavior on the roads were exploding onto front pages of newspapers across the country and this was a fine way to combat the image of teenagers as death crazed ogres in hot rods. Now, those hot rodders did suck down a lot of gas but if public opinion swayed against young people driving, that would be bad for business. As such, Mobil put their money where their mouth was and got on with this program.
You have never seen anything more stereotypical 1950s than this film. From the clothes to the cars, the malt shops, and the language if someone made it today it would be a parody but back then it was a window into the lives of teenagers. At least the lives as Mobil wanted to present them.
This is awesome.
I had guys that worked at Chrysler tell me that when they competed with Ford and Chevy at other week long MPG runs they would sneak out to the parking lot at night and tighten the brakes up on the competition just a “little”
True tale