Visible, agile, disruptive?

I like Mark Drapeau‘s description of his new job. As recently appointed Director of Innovative Social Engagement for Microsoft, he not only gives a fantastic list of what his job involves, but describes the qualities anyone needs to achieve effective social engagement in 2010:

“Someone who is charged with directing innovative social engagement for an entity needs to be visible, agile, adaptable, innovative, social, engaging, passionate, empathetic, fun, and disruptive. They should be pervasive or restricted, overt or subtle, traveling or stationary, and leading or listening as a given situation calls for. They must be a master storyteller, understanding what performance they need to give, what actual or digital stage they’re performing on, and what audience is in the house to watch them.”

This nails the attitude and skills brands should be nurturing to engage in the social space.

When the likes of Microsoft are investing in these sorts of jobs, it’s also a reflection of how important WOM has become to big brands – just look at Pepsi ditching their Super Bowl ads in favour of a $20 million social media campaign.

What are your essential qualities of a conversational brand?

via the ever-reliable Brian Solis

Brought into the world on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 and filed under 1000thoughts.