Star stared at Sandra. “It has my name against it? That’s not possible. I haven’t spoken to anyone at the market research centre.”
“I’m just saying what he told me. Why don’t you give him a call?” Sandra said, biting her lip.
Two hours later, Star was no closer to getting the answers she needed than she had been at the start. Paul was adamant that it was Star’s name against the log, but he himself had been on holiday, so couldn’t verify or deny whether it was correct or not. Star began to despair; this could mean her job. The client was not going to be happy picking up the bill for a campaign they had already rejected, and Hunt and Hunt were going to be upset paying for something that was both unauthorised and useless.
Paul promised to go away and dig deeper. Luckily, Star had built up a good working relationship with him over the years, having been the liaison between the production teams and focus groups during her intern days. He told Star to sit tight, which didn’t help; the client was due in tomorrow, expecting all the focus group results … and now this. She was going to look stupid and unprofessional, and she was going to have to confess to Damian and the Account Manager in order to do some damage limitation. She’d successfully avoided Damian for the past two days. Could she please get off this roller-coaster!
The team was in overdrive, checking and rechecking documents. The final proofs had been delivered for the correct campaign, so that was a relief. The problem now was she had no focus group data to go with it. Star put in a call to Pam and asked if Damian was available. Unfortunately for her, he was, so Star bit the bullet and headed into the lion’s den.
Damian looked up from his desk, his eyes grazing over her before coming to rest on her face. Star took a seat, while Damian sat back expectantly.
“We have an issue.” Star said, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Damian didn’t say anything, so Star took a deep breath and continued. “The wrong advertising campaign was authorised with the focus group.”
Damian remained silent, although moved forwards so his elbows were resting on the desk.
Star waited for him to say something, but Damian continued to look at her. Star felt her cheeks redden at his scrutiny. “Say something,” she said in the end, unable to take anymore today.
“What do you want me to say, Miss Roberts. I’m waiting for an explanation as to how the wrong campaign was authorised? What does that mean for this project? And what is being done about it?”
Calm Damian was not someone Star felt she could deal with.
“I’m simply here to escalate what has happened, as is company protocol.”
“And what would that be?” Damian wasn’t giving up.
“This morning, the final feedback arrived, and the team realised the wrong campaign had been run with the focus group. This campaign was side-lined by the client in favour of another one we put forward. According to the Market Research Manager, in charge of our focus group, I made the call and changed the tests over. I know for a fact I didn’t do this, but it’s my name on the switch.”
“So what did the manager say? Was it you he spoke to?”
“No, he was on holiday. He’s currently chasing the person who was in charge while he was away to see if they have any recollection of the switch. However, it doesn’t solve the problem we have, as the client is in tomorrow and expecting to see the data.” God only knew what Damian was currently thinking of her; she certainly wasn’t coming across as the cool, calm businesswoman she had worked so hard to be.
“If you didn’t make the change, then I suggest we focus on who might have made the switch and why? Who could have had access to the focus group tests? Whose idea was the original test – could they have switched it? Is there anyone who may wish to discredit you?”
Star looked at Damian, her jaw hanging open. Was he really giving her suggestions on how to clear her name and place doubt on the evidence?
“Don’t look so shocked, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened.” Star closed her mouth and sat up straighter. “As for the client tomorrow, there has been a delay in the test results. You have plenty of other data and material to go through with them. Speak to Market Research Manager and get the other test rerun through the focus group as quickly as possible. You’ll need to go back to the client as soon as possible once those results come in.”
Star’s phone started to ring, cutting Damian off. She motioned to Damian that it was Paul. Answering on speaker, Star let Paul know that she was with Damian and he was on speaker.
“Hi Star, Damian. Okay, this is what I’ve uncovered. It looks like it wasn’t you who called up, but apparently someone on your behalf. I spoke to Tessa. She remembers a guy ringing up. Apparently she questioned why he didn’t want his name put against it, but he said he was an intern and was just doing what his boss asked. I know you don’t have any interns working with you, Star, so what’s going on?”
The colour drained from Star’s face. It all made sense now, only it had backfired on him as he’d already gone. “Did Tessa have a name?” she said.
“A Simon something. He had a strong Yorkshire accent if that helps. I did find something else out, though. The focus group you wanted run, it has been done – it was just filed under another project. I’ve sent the results over to the team.”
Star and Damian thanked Paul and let him go. Star collapsed back into her chair.
“Someone really has it in for you. Who is Simon? That’s not a name I recognise from the project.”
“There isn’t a Simon working on the project, and as a new manager, I don't have interns under my care. I can surmise who was masquerading as Simon, as he tried to stitch me up. The campaign the client shelved was his idea; the one they chose to adopt was mine. He fought hard to get his campaign reinstated. What better way than to make me look incompetent and then have proof to back it up. The fact both groups were run is even more proof he wanted to appear to be the golden boy in all of this.”
Damian sat back surveying Star. “You think this was Jackson?”
“Don’t you?” Star shot back.
“It has merit, but I didn’t think he was smart enough to try to pull something like this. He wasn’t very smart when he came to see me. His accusations held no weight when he could only give me a brief, simplistic view of the project, unlike your detailed one. He was easy to see through.”
Star shot Damian a look. He’d known all along that Jackson was lying, yet she’d spent the day wondering if she was going to have a job by the end of it. Star’s heart began pumping hard as she felt her temper rise.