Celeste Cruz/Vaquero Radio
The Oscar Mayer Hotdogger role lasts one year, where employees learn to operate the Wienermobile, manage PR, interact with consumers, appear on camera and organize events as they travel across the country.
Matthew Bailey, known as Grill Master Matthew at Oscar Mayer, explained what a week of being a Hotdogger is like.
“So typically, we drive on Mondays, that changes a little bit … That can be from a couple to quite a few hours just going from city to city, state to state, trying to go from market to market,” Bailey said. “And then, we’ll have a couple off days every single week and then we typically work through weekends. So we’ll contact all of our events, make sure that all of our timing is in line, addresses are correct, and then we’ll go, and that can be festivals, farmers markets, parades, fairs, grocery stores, birthday parties, grillouts, anything and everything in which we’re gonna find people, we are gonna make them smile.”
He said his job gave him a unique experience of making people smile while traveling across the country in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
“It’s high energy,” Bailey said. “It’s lot’s of travel, which is very engaging for many people around my age. You know having that backing that allows you to travel across the country, which is an incredible thing, but you go to so many different kinds of events. You meet so many different kinds of people. It’s such a unique experience that you’ll never get in any other way because you’ll never drive a vehicle like the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, so it’s truly unforgettable.”
He noted several states that left him amazed within his first month behind the wheel.
“I am from Georgia, so I’m very much used to southeastern forests as well as the Appalachian Mountains,” Bailey said. “We went to both the state of Colorado and the state of Utah and I think those were the most jarring differences on the road. Driving into Denver, Colorado, and seeing the Rocky Mountains, the snow-capped peaks in the middle of the summer was, you know, just awe strewn across my face.”
He said his communication skills improved during his time as a Hotdogger.
“I think the skill that stands out the most on the road is just communication,” Bailey said. “I’ve always liked to say that your ability to speak will get you so much further and put you in so much greater places than anything.”
Graduating seniors may apply to be a part of the 38th class of Hotdoggers. To learn more visit, The Kraft Heinz Company website.
This is Celeste Cruz for Vaquero Radio.
