When two companies are competitive, there’s something to be said about making your side of the battle highly visible to the public. And how do you do that? Hire a celebrity, or if you’re car service app Hailo, get the former New York mayoral and gubernatorial candidate otherwise known as the “The Rent Is Too Damn High” guy to take shots at Uber’s rates.

Hailo has enlisted Jimmy McMillan to ride around Washington, D.C. on a float with the slogan “The Rates Are Too Damn High,” reports the Washington City Paper. GET IT?

As part of the campaign, Hailo says it will cut its prices in half in the D.C. area between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. — but customers will still be charged the $1.50 fee Hailo levies to use the app. A Hailo spokeswoman tells Consumerist the drivers’ bottom line won’t be affected.

But back to TRITDH guy.

“Our marketing team—they’re a fun bunch,” Hailo North America’s co-president Kevin Hatfield told the WCP. “I think they wanted to capitalize on his catchphrase. People are talking about it.”

His journey aboard Hailo’s rolling campaign was chronicled in the below tweet today from @BrianMFloyd:

https://twitter.com/BrianMFloyd/status/509061296697135104

Hailo Cuts Prices, Hires “Rent Is Too Damn High” Guy to Call Out Uber [CityDesk blog]

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