If you’ve been following the Saab-saga from the time General Motors decided to let go of the Swedish company in 2009, you’ll probably be familiar with the enthusiast blog Saabs United and its founder, Steven Wade, who did his part to keep the brand alive by rallying up supporters when many thought it was a lost cause.

In a not so unexpected turn of events, Saab today announced that it has hired Wade and appointed him the firm’s social media marketing team. Wade will be based in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia.

“Saab has hired me to be involved, as part of a global team, in a sustained social media presence that will see Saab presented from an inside view, allowing you access to company events, key people and of course, the cars themselves – in a way that no bigger car company can do,” Wade said on Saabs United.

Wade added that due to the increased responsibilities of his new position at Saab, he sold the Saabs United website, which will continue under new leadership, while he also quit his regular job.

Announcing the appointment, Mårten Wahlstedt, Director of Saab Marketing Communications, stated: “I am delighted to welcome Steven to the team here at Saab Automobile. Engaging with customers through interactive channels and social media such as Facebook and YouTube is of the utmost importance for us. Social media play a major role in the Saab marketing mix, which is why we are keen to strengthen our expertise in this area.

Even though we’ve disagreed with Wade on certain occasions, which is only natural given that at the end of the day, he remains a Saab enthusiast, we believe his addition to the Swedish firm’s marketing team is a smart move on the part of Saab to harness the power of social media and we wish him the best of luck.

By John Halas

Sources: Saab & Saabs United