Mission: Impossible – Communications leader for X

The latest installment of Mission: Impossible is back in theaters this week. And X is looking for a new communications lead. What do those two things have in common? Nothing really, but put them both together and you have the makings of – if not a blockbuster movie – at least a somewhat amusing blog post! Here we go.

Mission: Impossible – Communications leader for ❌

🎥 Scene: Ethan Hunt sitting on a plane and being stealthily handed a device by the flight attendant …

🎶 ... theme music starts

🔊 Your mission, should you choose to accept it …

… will be to lead communications and PR for X …

… turning around brand perception …

… for the world’s most toxic social media site …

… headed by one of the world’s most unpopular people …

… Elon Musk …

… he is famous for not valuing communication staff …

… doesn’t like journalists …

… and rarely listens to anyone about anything …

… ever …

… should you fail in this mission, we will disavow all knowledge of you and your team …

… good luck …

… this device will self-destruct in 5 seconds 💥

🎶 ... theme music ends with a bang!

Can anyone help X?

Helping X get better? Big ask!

I mean what’s more challenging: Racing against time to find the Entity, a rogue artificial intelligence that can destroy mankind, OR serving as the new communications leader for X and helping turn around its bad reputation?

Tough call, but I lean toward the latter. At least there is a chance of stopping that evil AI!

I’ve never seen Ethan Hunt turn down a mission, but there is always a first time for everything.

This one would probably be it.

Scene: Ethan Hunt fleeing the X offices.

More about the new role at X

Just so you know that I’m not making all of this up, here are some highlights from the reporting at Business Insider:

Since Elon Musk bought the platform formerly known as Twitter, its relationship with advertisers and reporters has been fraught.

X is now looking for a communications leader to help improve its relationship with reporters, multiple people familiar with the matter told Business Insider. One person who was contacted by a recruiter said the remit was described as helping craft the company's public image.

The job has been vacant since Dave Heinzinger left his role as head of media strategy earlier this year. The person would work closely with CEO Linda Yaccarino, who's been trying to rebuild X's ads business.

People in PR circles credited X for being self-aware in trying to expand its operation and said it would take someone with an uncommon sense of adventure to fill such a role.

"It certainly would be the challenge of a lifetime," one person said.

Well, that’s an understatement!

Leading comms at X?

That’s not just a challenge, it’s definitely Mission: Impossible.

Run. Run fast. Run far.