Oil, gas, coal, and water were among the key resources that fuelled 20th century economic expansion. Each resource was important in itself, but also in the generation of electricity. Economic expansion saw the rise of powerful energy firms and utilities companies in the United States, many of which solicited Dichter’s services to manage their image. A 1968 study entitled How to build a more compelling image with residential customers - a pilot study for Texas Electric Service Company is a good example – it also features a section on the American public’s “renewed faith in bigness”, suggesting pre-war suspicion of large corporationshad subsided.

Reports also look at the role of advertising in creating sales, highlighting the crossover between the automobile industry and oil in the process. French oil company Total commissioned a report on film and television advertising, Gas and oil film and television advertising in the United States for Total, and Associated Tideland Oil and Gasoline commissioned a report entitled, Creative analysis of the sales and advertising problems of oil and gasoline, which focused on how the gas station operates. In an example of how Dichter’s focus shifted to personal motivation later in his career, The Consolidated Coal Company of Pittsburgh commissioned a report entitled, Increasing the productivity of coal miners: a progress report in 1979.