Shell Answer Man

The Shell Answer Man was a series of television advertisements from the 1960s through the 1990s sponsored by Shell Oil in which answers were provided to common questions from the public about driving, with advice on vehicle maintenance, repair and safety. Companion booklets were inserted into major magazines. The ads were aimed at typical drivers, helping inform them how to avoid wasting gasoline through such tips as not making jackrabbit starts, ensuring proper tire inflation and proper basic maintenance of their vehicle.

The campaign was developed in the late 1960s for Shell by the advertising firm of Ogilvy & Mather, a relationship that would continue for nearly four decades. By the time Shell ended the relationship, Ogilvy & Mather had 60 employees based in Houston, Texas largely dedicated to the Shell account.

Actor and announcer Don Morrow, whose prior work included serving as the announcer on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and a series of popular game shows, appeared in the campaign in the 1960s, offering tips to drivers. Actor Vince O'Brien landed the role of the Shell Answer Man in the late 1960s and 1970s, an opportunity he described in a newspaper interview as being "like hitting the state lottery."