Change of Heart

Chapter 2

I spent most of the day with Sally, trying to gather everything we used for the campaign. The problem is there wasn't a lot of drawing board sketches or notes. Usually, when we start a new idea, everything gets planned out in black and white drafts. However, most of the material we have is the work in progress color swatches and final products.

"This is everything, are you sure?" Sally questions me again, worry seeps through her voice.

"Yes, I've gone through my computer as well. This is all the files." I sigh—this looks very bad for us. If we can't show how the ideas for this campaign came about and that everything turns out to be identical, how can we prove that our ideas were original.

"This will have to do then," Sally groans. "I'm having all the material for the campaign in question from Marx sent over to me," she stops speaking suddenly and reaches for her tablet. "Hold on, I'll check my emails."

While Sally does that, I sink back into my chair. This is not what I need right now, all my attention should be on working with my team to get Maddison's campaign in before tomorrow. I place my head between my hands and let out a long sigh.

My mind drifts back to the meeting and how stupid it must have looked me sitting there, dumbfounded—how unprofessional. They were all staring at me, Sally, Jim, Maddock and Calvin. That grin, which spread so widely across his perfect lips. I shake my head vigorously. All this happening and I'm sitting here thinking about a smile from another man, not to mention the underwear. Seriously, stop... stop!

"Alright, here's the email, let me just bring it up on your computer screen." Sally thankfully interrupts my absurd train of thought and I quickly jump up from my chair. If I were in a cartoon, my mouth would be on the floor. We both stare in disbelief as both sets of completed ads are strikingly alike. The positioning, colors and fonts used, are all very similar, just like the poster Jim showed me.

"I... ah, I don't know what to say. I have no idea how this happened," I stammer, finally managing to get some words out.

"I need you to start thinking Jason. Where did the ideas for these ads come from?" I can tell by her tone and pace she is talking, that this is really concerning for her. If they file a lawsuit, our company could suffer big losses.

"I'm on this, Sally, it's my main priority now." I reassure her. She snaps her briefcase closed and leaves my office. Rubbing my hands through my hair, the ramifications start to unfold in my head. I sit back down and try to figure out how I let this happen. If all our ideas were original, then how did we manage to come up with the same concept as someone else?

"Is everything okay, Mr. Trent?" Monique asks, as she brings in a large coffee for me. My office is a scattered mess of paperwork. She starts picking some up, "what can I do to help?" she offers.

"Could you please look back through last month and find out who I had working on the Florna campaign?" Before I even finish my sentence, she already has her tablet out and is compiling a list. I reach for my phone and text Bianca to let her know I'm sorry and will be home late tonight. A lot happened last month as we had a new intake of interns. I also recall we had 4 other deadlines the week of the Florna campaign. Monique and I continue combing through everything, placing the work with its corresponding owner. In frustration, my hands slam down on my desk.

"We will work this all out, just take a breath," she calmly reassures me. I know the answers are here somewhere, but it's proving impossible to find out how the initial idea came about. Every time I think back, I remember came together at the last minute. I sigh, looking at the time. I stand up and start stacking all the documents that are now covering my entire desk. "I'm sorry for keeping you back late," I apologise with sincerity and gratitude.