Comedian and SNL Superstar Mikey Day Drops Travel Knowledge as 'The Common Sensei' in New Dollar Car Rental Ad Campaign

Rhea-AI Summary

Dollar Car Rental launches a new advertising campaign featuring SNL star Mikey Day as 'The Common Sensei,' a wise teacher character demonstrating the company's common-sense approach to travel and car rentals. The campaign, launching April 7, 2025, showcases Day in multiple personas addressing travel complications through humor and practical advice.

The series will be distributed across streaming video and audio, social media, and owned channels. Day portrays the sensei and five additional eccentric characters, emphasizing Dollar's commitment to simplifying the rental experience through direct booking benefits on Dollar.com, including lowest rates, online check-in, and fast pickup options.

The campaign will include a sweepstakes offering a grand prize of a New York City trip to meet Mikey Day, $25,000, and tickets to a late-night comedy show. The initiative was developed by FKQ Advertising and Shadow Lion.

Positive

• Launch of major marketing campaign with high-profile celebrity (SNL star)
• Implementation of customer-centric booking features
• Introduction of significant sweepstakes promotion to drive customer engagement

Negative

• None.

Day Offers Witty, No-Nonsense Tips to Simplify Travel & Car Rental 

ESTERO, Fla., April 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dollar Car Rental, a leading rental car provider, is excited to announce the launch of its latest campaign featuring renowned comedian, improviser, writer, and host Mikey Day, in the role of The Common Sensei, a wise teacher who demonstrates Dollar's common-sense approach to travel and renting a car. 

The Dollar Common Sensei campaign brings a fresh, engaging perspective to travel and car rentals by offering a practical approach to navigating the process with ease and confidence. In a series of new ads, Day plays off the notion of travel nonsense – complications like searching online for hours to score a deal or paying too much for bottled water at a hotel. He gently pokes fun at these relatable experiences through the persona of The Common Sensei, taking absurd situations and making them make sense through wit and charm. 

"As someone who's on the road quite a bit I've seen a lot of things that just don't make much sense. As Dollar's Common Sensei I get to share my wisdom to help people make better travel decisions, like booking directly on Dollar.com to score their lowest rates on your rental car," said Mikey Day. "Best of all, I play different personas including my pre-enlightened self and my clueless cousin, who really needed to wise up and learn that renting a car from Dollar Makes Sense!"  

The series will be featured across streaming video and audio, social media, and owned channels showcasing Mikey as the knowledgeable sensei and five additional eccentric personas who require the sensei's wisdom to understand that renting with Dollar makes sense. "Through a blend of humor and helpful tips, the campaign highlights how Dollar takes the guesswork out of car rentals, making it easier for travelers to focus on enjoying their trip," said Sandeep Dube, Chief Commercial Officer. "With Mikey as our Common Sensei, we're adding a fun, relatable twist that encourages travelers to simplify their journey by choosing Dollar because we're committed to making every aspect of our customers' travel experience easier." 

Dollar Car Rental combines affordability, convenience, flexibility, and customer-focused service, making it a great option for travelers looking for a hassle-free rental experience. While known for affordable rates, Dollar offers a wide network of vehicles and locations, including airports and popular tourist destinations, making it easy for travelers to pick up and drop off their vehicles. When renters book direct on Dollar.com they know they'll get our lowest rates and great services such as online check-in, fast pickup, and drop-off options, as well as a user-friendly website that makes booking a car easy and quick. Plus, no hidden fees and flexible rental terms.  

The Dollar Common Sensei campaign will also feature a sweepstakes, launching later this year, with a grand prize of a trip to New York City to meet Mikey, $25,000 and tickets to a late-night comedy show.  

The Dollar Common Sensei campaign was created and produced by FKQ Advertising and Shadow Lion.  

For more information, please visit www.dollar.com.  

About Dollar Car Rental 

Dollar Car Rental is the common sense brand that makes renting a car simple. It's the perfect choice for travelers who want affordability without sacrificing quality. With well-priced car rentals, backed by a variety of vehicle options and a service that's all about convenience, Dollar makes car rentals simple, easy and affordable. That's why Dollar Makes Sense. For additional information, visit www.dollar.com. 

About Mikey Day 
Since joining the SNL cast in 2016 following a successful stint as a writer, Mikey Day has become a fan favorite, recently starring in the wildly popular Beavis & Butt-Head sketch alongside Ryan Gosling. He is currently developing a live-action adaptation of RUGRATS and will next be seen hosting Season 4 of his hit Netflix show IS IT CAKE?, a quirky competition gameshow where participants guess whether seemingly normal objects are actually made of cake. On the feature side, Mikey most recently appeared in Jerry Seinfeld's UNFROSTED and Kenan Thompson's GOOD BURGER 2. 
 
Born in Orange, California, Mikey graduated from UCLA with a degree in theater. He began his career with the Groundlings where he wrote and co-starred in DAVID BLAINE STREET MAGIC, a parody of magician David Blaine. Mikey was an original cast member of MTV's WILD N' OUT and hosted a recurring segment on THE JAY LENO SHOW and THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO. He additionally wrote for Cartoon Network's INCREDIBLE CREW and NBC's MAYA & MARTY, among numerous other shows. 
 
With over 600 sketches on SNL and recurring stints on ROBOT CHICKEN and MAD TV, Mikey Day has solidified his status as a comedic icon. 

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SOURCE Hertz Global Holdings, Inc.

FAQ

What is the main focus of Dollar Car Rental's new 2025 advertising campaign?

The campaign features SNL star Mikey Day as 'The Common Sensei,' focusing on simplifying travel and car rental processes through humorous and practical advice.

What benefits does Dollar Car Rental highlight in their 2025 campaign?

Dollar emphasizes lowest rates when booking directly on Dollar.com, online check-in, fast pickup options, and no hidden fees.

What is the grand prize in Dollar Car Rental's upcoming sweepstakes?

The grand prize includes a trip to New York City to meet Mikey Day, $25,000, and tickets to a late-night comedy show.

How many different characters does Mikey Day portray in Dollar's new campaign?

Mikey Day portrays six characters: The Common Sensei and five additional eccentric personas.