- John Deere is on the hunt for a CTO – that’s Chief Tractor Officer – to be a part of its social media team, venturing around the country to celebrate farmers, contractors, groundskeepers and other brand fans.
- To recruit candidates, the brand has enlisted quarterback Brock Purdy to appear in a video in which he attempts to mount a road trip to find the new “QB of JD.” He only gets a few feet before being interrupted by calls from other famous personalities seeking the position.
- The company confirms the job is a real, contract position in which one person will spend a year traveling the country telling the stories of John Deere customers and “making thumb-stopping, face-melting video content.”
In a job description, John Deere promises the job “isn’t some honorary position – it’s a job where you can make a real impact.” The Chief Tractor Officer will be asked to travel the country looking for stories that illustrate how farming and construction work impacts everyone for the brand’s social media channels.
That content may include working with the ground crews at iconic stadiums and sporting landmarks to depict how they capture the perfect outfield striping or heading to a national park for a day-in-the-life video about how the trails are maintained. Or it could just be working with an individual farmer in rural Iowa.
“Behind every part of our daily lives — from your breakfast to your clothes, to the roads you drive on — there are unsung heroes behind the scenes with a story to tell,” said Jen Hartmann, global director of strategic public relations and enterprise social media. “The role of the Chief Tractor Officer isn’t just about creating content, it’s about creating compelling stories about the people and industries supporting all of us.”
In the two-minute recruitment video, San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy is seen getting into a John Deere tractor in front of his home. As he goes to start up the vehicle, one of his teammates, Colton McKiven, joins him on the road trip to search for the Chief Tractor Officer. As soon as they start the tractor, they are interrupted by a call from Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Halliburton, asking for the job. Purdy demurs and starts up the tractor again only to be interrupted by gymnast Gabby Douglas. The trend continues with calls from TikTokker Anna Frey, Corn Kid and others begging for the job.
Interested candidates are being asked to submit a 60-second video that shows off their creativity, humor and passion. They may also be asked to answer some screen questions, including whether they find steel-toed boots hot, identifying their top three online brands and naming the last online video that made them laugh out loud.
