Image courtesy of Chevron Delo
In this crop from a promotional poster for Chevron's Delo heavy duty motor oil, Ice Road Truckers' Lisa Kelly makes a pledge based on what's popularly known as the Postman's Creed: 'Neither rain, nor snow, nor 23 hours of darkness, nor the failed missions of truckers past, nor acts of God shall stay me and these chained-up wheels from reaching the final outposts of this vast frontier.'

Reality TV, heavy duty style: Ice Road Truckers star throws in for Delo

March 11, 2016
In a media campaign for Chevron's Delo heavy duty motor oil, Lisa Kelly of HISTORY Network's hit show Ice Road Truckers joined a group of reality TV personalities backing the oil and touting its use in their trucks, agricultural and mining machines, and other diesel equipment.

In a media campaign for Chevron's Delo heavy duty motor oil, Lisa Kelly of HISTORY Network's hit show Ice Road Truckers joined a group of reality TV personalities backing the oil and touting its use in their trucks, agricultural and mining machines, and other diesel equipment.

It's called "The Reality of Delo," and Chevron says it's "a modern take on testimonials intended to influence heavy duty diesel equipment users about the benefits of Delo heavy duty motor oil." In one of the testimonial-style videos in the campaign, Kelly recalls being a tomboy growing up, wondering what career path to take — and then she saw heavy trucks.

"Those are cool — I'll drive those," she says. "The moment I stepped in a truck, that's what I truly loved." In a release, Kelly states that she's used Delo from the beginning of her career in trucking and points to the icy, snowy roads she drives that are spotlighted in Ice Road Truckers: "I drive some of the deadliest roads in the world. I can't take chances on oils."

She continues on that theme in the testimonial video as well. "I'd rather worry about what song I'm going to listen to next on the radio than worry about if my truck's not running properly," Kelly says. "When I open my toolbox door, it's always Delo."

Getting traction

Chevron says the campaign is raising interest in Delo. "We've seen a significant increase in awareness and more importantly engagement with the Delo brand since the introduction of the Reality of Delo campaign, and as soon as we heard Lisa Kelly was a long-time Delo user, we couldn't wait to bring her onto the team," stated Rommel Atienza, brand manager of North America commercial brands at Chevron Products Co. "Lisa joins a great list of Delo advocates."

Shooting for the new Reality of Delo commercials is underway, according to Chevron, and the new marketing campaign starts later this month on "a variety online media properties." Kelly's testimonial has been added to those of others like Freddy Dodge of Discovery's Gold Rush, Mike Papac of the HISTORY Network's Ax Men and Dale Kitchens of The Edge of Farming web series.

About the Author

Aaron Marsh

Before computerization had fully taken hold and automotive work took someone who speaks engine, Aaron grew up in Upstate New York taking cars apart and fixing and rewiring them, keeping more than a few great jalopies (classics) on the road that probably didn't deserve to be. He spent a decade inside the Beltway covering Congress and the intricacies of the health care system before a stint in local New England news, picking up awards for both pen and camera.

He wrote about you-name-it, from transportation and law and the courts to events of all kinds and telecommunications, and landed in trucking when he joined FleetOwner in July 2015. Long an editorial leader, he was a keeper of knowledge at FleetOwner ready to dive in on the technical and the topical inside and all-around trucking—and still turned a wrench or two. Or three. 

Aaron previously wrote for FleetOwner. 

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