John Deere Seeks Ag Influencer

OMAHA (DTN) -- Ag influencers, here is a possible dream job opportunity for you: John Deere is searching for someone to fill its newly created "chief tractor officer" position.

What exactly is a chief tractor officer? Imagine this: One day you're visiting some of the most iconic stadiums and sporting landmarks, capturing the perfect striping in the outfield. The next, you're at Yellowstone National Park creating a day-in-the-life video as you maintain some of the most scenic roads in America.

That's what John Deere envisions as a day's work for its chief tractor officer -- an influencer who will represent the brand across the country in agriculture and construction spaces. In a news release announcing the new position on Tuesday, the company said it is seeking a "witty and charismatic content creator ready to help the iconic American brand celebrate farmers, contractors, groundskeepers and brand fans."

"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," Jen Hartmann, global director of strategic public relations and enterprise social media for John Deere, stated in the release. "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."

Helping to lead the search to fill the new position is National Football League quarterback Brock Purdy, who also recently partnered with Pioneer Seeds. Purdy is featured in a John Deere video promoting the new chief tractor officer position on social media -- a likely place John Deere would find content creators interested in the position.

The 2-minute-3-second-long video showcases Purdy and fellow teammate Colton McKivitz, a defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, operating a tractor and trying to make yards as if they were on the football field while stopping for the many influencer applicants who are making video calls.

The video features a variety of public figures -- some known in sports and some in agriculture -- pleading their case to Purdy and McKivitz for the position.

The first applicant is Tyrese Haliburton, a professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers, who attended Iowa State University with Purdy. Next on the call is Gabby Douglas, a gymnast, who earned the memorable moniker "Flying Squirrel" for her high-flying flips.

After Douglas, Anna Frey makes a call. The Utah native and aspiring tennis player is ranked among the top junior girls players in the nation by Tennisrecruiting.net. Frey went viral on TikTok in November for her uncanny resemblance to Brock Purdy. The video transitions to show the two side by side, referencing her viral fame.

Next on the call is Natalie Marshall, known on social media as "Corporate Natalie." Marshall rose to viral fame for her humorous takes on corporate and work-from-home life. In her segment, Marshall asks Purdy for information on vacation and benefits.

Purdy responds, "Sorry, Natalie, farmers don't take vacations."

Also on the call is Tariq, the 9-year-old boy from Brooklyn, New York, who went viral in 2022 for his love of corn. In a Recess Therapy interview, Tariq affectionately shares his adoration for corn, which caught national attention. He is known as the "Corn Kid" and was presented as South Dakota's official "Corn-bassador" that same year.

A plethora of other influencers are also featured on the call, all sharing how much they want the job of chief tractor officer. One of those ag influencers is Minnesota farmer Zach Johnson, known on social media as the "Millennial Farmer" who curates day-to-day vlog-style YouTube videos of his family farm.

"I just wish Brock Purdy had come to our farm and used one of our tractors for the original video," said Johnson in an interview with DTN.

With references in its advertising campaign to ag and sports influencers such as Purdy and their unique connections to the company, John Deere is intersecting two worlds: agriculture and social media.

"I think it's important for ag brands, and all brands, to have some sort of social media presence, and we have seen how well 'influencers' perform in that space, so it definitely makes sense," Johnson told DTN. "For me, personally, hearing from real farmers holds more weight than just getting information from salespeople or official literature."

"I definitely see it (John Deere's chief tractor officer) as a positive for ag companies because engaging with real people is so valuable when making decisions on the farm," he said. "The right person can reach a massive amount of people and in a positive, educational way."

John Deere said its mission in hiring a chief tractor officer is for the position holder to create social media content that shows all the incredible and unexpected ways farming and construction work "hits different."

"If you're a natural storyteller who thrives in the great outdoors and is (dare we say) a little extra both in front of and behind the camera, we're looking for you," John Deere stated on its application landing page.

John Deere is accepting applications for the new position until April 29. Candidates must submit a short-form video with their pitch for the position, showing the creativity, humor and passion they'd bring to the job. Candidates are encouraged to publish their entries to TikTok and/or Instagram and tag @JohnDeere.

For more information on the position, visit https://johndeerecto.com/….

To see the promotion video, visit https://www.youtube.com/…

To see previous coverage of Purdy's partnership with Pioneer Seeds, visit https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Susan Payne can be reached at susan.payne@dtn.com

Follow her on the social platform X @jpusan

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