Saab Automobile hires Aussie blogger who 'saved' the company
An Australian blogger with a passion for Saab cars who, in the words of Saab board chair Victor Muller "played a key role in saving Saab" has been rewarded with a job at the Swedish automaker.
On Tuesday, Saab Automobile announced it was adding Australian Saab-enthusiast Steven Wade to the company's global social media marketing team.
For the last six years, Wade has run the SaabsUnited blog from his home in Melbourne, Australia.
Since its founding, the site gained popularity with Saab enthusiasts around the globe and become known as a source of some of the most detailed and up-to-date information about the company.
When troubles at US carmaker General Motors (GM) threatened to put Saab into bankruptcy, Wade led a campaign to rally fans of the uniquely designed Swedish-made cars to demonstrate that, despite dismal sales figures, there were many people around the world who cared deeply about Saab.
"It is a given that you have played a key role in saving Saab last year by mobilizing tens of thousands of enthusiasts to rally in support of the company," Saab chair Victor Muller wrote to Wade in a letter posted on SaabsUnited.
"You have single handedly proven the importance social media has nowadays in situations like the one Saab went through. You became one of my most powerful allies in those trying times which now are fortunately behind us."
As a part of Saab's global social media marketing team, Wade will now help the company communicate with customers through various social media channels.
"Saab are very appreciative of all the community support they’ve received and they want to build on that relationship and give something back," Wade wrote on his blog.
"It’s a very exciting challenge and one that I can’t wait to sink my teeth into."
In making the transition from Saab blogger to Saab employee, Wade has sold SaabsUnited to a friend and fellow Saab enthusiast, adding that it was hard to give up what he referred to as a "labour of love".
He also urged readers of the blog to continue supporting Saab and maintain the tight-knit online community which SaabsUnited help build.
"A site like this is nothing without the community that visits it, and gives it a pulse. You’ve come from all corners of the globe and enriched my life with your contributions here," Wade wrote.
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On Tuesday, Saab Automobile announced it was adding Australian Saab-enthusiast Steven Wade to the company's global social media marketing team.
For the last six years, Wade has run the SaabsUnited blog from his home in Melbourne, Australia.
Since its founding, the site gained popularity with Saab enthusiasts around the globe and become known as a source of some of the most detailed and up-to-date information about the company.
When troubles at US carmaker General Motors (GM) threatened to put Saab into bankruptcy, Wade led a campaign to rally fans of the uniquely designed Swedish-made cars to demonstrate that, despite dismal sales figures, there were many people around the world who cared deeply about Saab.
"It is a given that you have played a key role in saving Saab last year by mobilizing tens of thousands of enthusiasts to rally in support of the company," Saab chair Victor Muller wrote to Wade in a letter posted on SaabsUnited.
"You have single handedly proven the importance social media has nowadays in situations like the one Saab went through. You became one of my most powerful allies in those trying times which now are fortunately behind us."
As a part of Saab's global social media marketing team, Wade will now help the company communicate with customers through various social media channels.
"Saab are very appreciative of all the community support they’ve received and they want to build on that relationship and give something back," Wade wrote on his blog.
"It’s a very exciting challenge and one that I can’t wait to sink my teeth into."
In making the transition from Saab blogger to Saab employee, Wade has sold SaabsUnited to a friend and fellow Saab enthusiast, adding that it was hard to give up what he referred to as a "labour of love".
He also urged readers of the blog to continue supporting Saab and maintain the tight-knit online community which SaabsUnited help build.
"A site like this is nothing without the community that visits it, and gives it a pulse. You’ve come from all corners of the globe and enriched my life with your contributions here," Wade wrote.
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