To ask if this is theft of intellectual property?

[LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet]

It probably isn’t but I’m so angry I can’t sleep.

Had a job interview in November. Didn’t get the job, which was fine. Big as part of the interview I had to give my ideas for a campaign, and they set out what they expected from the presentation. Spent ages doing an excellent presentation, really well thought out with a name, slogan everything. It was a Zoom interview and they asked me to send it beforehand and present on the day. Should have known really!

I’ve tonight seen my exact idea, right down to the campaign name and themes, on their social media page.

I do have a friend who worked in a STEM company who once said these things happened all the time to steal ideas but I didn’t think it was especially common.

AIBU to be fucking raging and to email them asking what on Earth they’re playing at? Or is this my own silly fault for sending a presentation without much thought?

Your scenario doesn’t sound as though it will be covered by copyright law. Rather that it would be trademark law (which covers brand names, slogans etc). Brand names and slogans are usually required to be registered with the intellectual property office for you to have rights in the work. There is the possibility of acquiring rights when names, slogans are unregistered but this isn’t straightforward. The key aspect of protection here is that they have been “used” (by you) in the course of trade. If you haven’t made use of them in this manner then it’s difficult to see how you have any recourse here (frustrating as that is!)

At the very least add this to your CV as devised a campaign for x.

This is sadly more common than you'd think. A previous boss of mine tried to get me to use ideas that had come out of an interview process, I flatly refused. Brewdog has been accused of this as well:

www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/brewdog-accused-stealing-marketing-ideas-16289137.amp