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Grad Lands Dream Job Driving Wienermobile

Ashley Eisert

Eisert poses in front of her Wienermobile, one of six in Oscar Mayer's fleet

OMAHA – Ashley Eisert will be the first to tell you she relishes her new job.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) graduate considers herself a lucky dog. She even signs off her emails with well wishes like “have a ‘bun-derful’ day!”

The puns are just part of the fun, Eisert said, sharing stories over the phone as she traveled from Washington D.C. to Nashville, Tennessee in one of America’s most iconic vehicles.

Don’t worry, her coworker was at the wheel. There are two Oscar Mayer Wienermobile spokespersons per vehicle, and six Wienermobiles in the fleet.

“Our fun title is Hotdogger,” Eisert said with a laugh.

Eisert knew she wanted this job eight years ago. It was love at first sight when she saw the larger-than-life hot dog in Omaha.

With this job, it’s all about interacting, making experiences, being very outgoing. I built a lot of that through UNO.

 Ashley Eisert

The driver she spoke with told her the position is for college graduates who had majored in marketing, communications or another business-related field.

“And you know, business was my passion, so it kind of fit right into play,” Eisert said.

For the next eight years she followed the Wienermobile in the same way a sports fan follows a favorite team.

“Some people might call it stalking,” Eisert joked. She preferred to think of herself as a groupie.

Before graduating in May, she applied for the job; so did 1,500 others.

Each year, only 12 Hotdoggers are hired. Oscar Mayer wanted Eisert to be one of them.

Now a few weeks into the program, Eisert said her experience at UNO has proven invaluable in preparing her to be a brand ambassador for a household name.

“With this job, it’s all about interacting, making experiences, being very outgoing,” she said. “I built a lot of that through UNO.”

An Honors student, Eisert earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing, Business Finance and Investment Science & Portfolio Management.

She praised both the College of Business Administration and Honors Program for getting students out into the community.

“They want you to apply your classroom knowledge to real-world experiences,” Eisert said. “I took a lot of marketing classes that allowed us to do that.”

Being a Wienermobile driver means a full year on the road. Often it’s a day of travel followed by a day at an event.

The drivers don’t sleep in the Wienermobile. They travel from one hotel to the next.

“A lot of people think it’s an RV, but really it’s a large vehicle, like a minivan or an SUV,” Eisert said.

The giant hot dog includes six seats and a lot of storage, holding gear for site visits.

“We have a table, giveaways, and a virtual reality ride that allows you to see what it’s like to drive the Wienermobile. It’s like a 360-degree videogame experience,” Eisert said.

She and her coworker generally stay at an event for a few hours. It depends on the venue.

“We interact with people. A lot of them have never seen the Wienermobile – they’re like me eight years ago. We try to give them a great time.”

Their schedule is set through mid-August. So far, Omaha isn’t on the list.

“I’m hoping to sneak a little trip back in the fall,” Eisert said. “But that’s still in the works.”

Bringing the Wienermobile home would be a dream come true.

“When I told my family I got this job, we were all pretty much crying about it, just happy tears that I got it.”