Mass Communication & Media

As a starting point, I'd like to put forward the idea that brands, as both categories and communications tools, have changed drastically from what is in most marketing curricula. I think that a successful brand strategist, you will need some cognizance of that; the mass production/mass communication/mass marketing paradigm has shifted.
Some helpful traits are:
- Daring: Brands need to break through the clutter and find relevance with the mysterious, dangerous, and provocative truths of the customer's life.
- Creative: Most of the research is done in a boring way to get a boring answer.
- Empathy and Compassion: The customer is your partner. Empathizing is very hard, important work that can lead to more nuanced understanding.
- Craft: Desire to build expertise and knowledge base each day. Not letting one's best work end up in the file cabinet. Pursuing diverse personal interests.
- People-oriented: Has to love people. Has to love the understanding motivation, life, and behavior.
- Problem-oriented: Has to love solving (and more often creating) problems. Skepticism and curiosity are probably good as well.
Professional Background: Probably less important than attitude and awareness. Eventually, we all have to develop an expertise in marketing, social Science, statistics, media planning, business development, account management, finance and accounting, critical thinking, report writing, moderating, journalism, politics, and stand-up comedy.
Day in the life (not all in one day, naturally):
Get up very early and read lots of blogs, listen to podcasts, survey messy apartment, eat hearty breakfast, and write on the blog and in the journal (Craft).
Go to work, continue background research on brands, trends, and people read 10ks, trade publications, databases, newsletters, watch ads and YouTube videos, conference call w/ clients (Social Science, marketing, finance, social media, politics).
Drink tons of coffee (Craft)
Speak at professional org, or to client (Stand-up comedy, politics, new business development)