To feel that I was set up to fail

[PurpleDanceMum]

And to feel a bit sad as a result? I’m a hear of marketing for a company. This time last year we were asked to come up with and execute a campaign to “increase sales all over the country on a national level” (this was the the only objective we were given by the board/other senior management, I complained at the time that this was not detailed enough but that complaint got no where) but we were told that we could only use paid media (paid media is like TV, radio, Paid Social and OOH billboards etc) in what the board considered “posh” areas (Cotswolds, London, Sussex and Surrey), we would have had budget for a national paid media campaign but the board refused on multiple occasions to allow us to run a national paid media campaign! I again mentioned at the time that this limitation was going to mean that I could not fulfil their objective of increasing sales all over the country, the only response I ever got to this was “you’ll find a way, you have to make it work”. Anyway, we ran the campaign and like I predicted it only increased sales in those particular areas and not on a national level. Now I’m being hauled in-front of the other senior management and the board next week as they want me to explain why we did not meet their objective. I’m actually quite upset as I feel i was set up to fail as I made it clear on multiple occasions that I wouldn’t be able to meet their objective with those limitations and no one was listening and now they want to put the blame on me for not meeting their objective. I feel like crying to be honest

I would create the presentation detailing the strategy and how you would have changed it if you had autonomy of the plans. Be very careful about critiquing what was done, instead see if you can talk it up, even though it didn't hit targets - you can't be sure your plan would have either. Just explain key learnings and how you would build on the successes "the team" have already delivered.

And don't cry - it will be fine!!

As PP said, just explain.

You predicted there would be no trickledown from limiting coverage to wealthy areas and your warned the company on x and Y occasions of these concerns. Your prediction proved correct. Had you been given carte-blanche, your strategy wuld have been X and you believe it would have been effective because Y.

Just be confident and direct and pitch the whole thing as though your heart is set -above all else- on your ocmpany thriving and this is what you truly wanted to achieve. To keep in wiht the blue-sky-twattery, I would also add a section on the positive effects of the campaign as it stood, and how it could be expanded successfully, so treat those initial areas as a trial for the wider campaign.

We do evaluations for all our campaigns that would include x was done so y happened. Be clear but neutral about cause and effect and what can be done differently next time.

I'd talk about your original strategy as "learnings" so in hindsight we should have (put in everything you originally suggested)
1.where the campaign was successful
2.where it fell down
3.how it will be different next year when you apply those learnings.

Hold on a second.

Your campaign was obviously effective where it had reach and you can support that with figures. It obviously resonated with the target audience. Talk this up and give yourself the credit you deserve for it.

You can extrapolate that if the reach was broadened to include other areas, it would have had the same impact there.

You flagged the constraints early in the process. You advise of the limits. You did what you could given the constraints you had to work within.

That’s what I’ve done, tried to create a presentation, although I haven’t had much time to create a presentation as I got told about the board meeting on Friday and the meeting is happening tomorrow (Monday). In the email about the meeting it says “you should not present an evaluation of the campaign. Instead you should present clear reasoning as to why the campaign did not meet our objectives of increasing sales on a national scale”. The email also goes on to say “this board meeting (along with senior leadership) is non- negotiable and your attendance is required, you should clear your diary if you have anything else scheduled”, I’ve even had to reschedule a medical appointment for my child just so I can attend this meeting!! I’m not entirely sure how they want me to present clear reasoning and answer their questions without providing an evaluation of the campaign though.

OP this situation sounds really tough. I'm so sorry about the pp I've just quoted. That is an incredibly harsh response.

I think you have to demonstrate what you wanted to do & what you were permitted to do & the success you've had. It's a hard one because you've been working with one hand tied behind your back. You will have to be careful the way you present this but it should be possible to do that in such a way that you protect your own position which is essentially what you need to do tomorrow.

I'm also sorry you had to cancel DD's medical appointment. I would look for another job if you can. It sounds an awful place to work.

Good luck for tomorrow xx

That sounds incredibly hard OP and my worst nightmare. I’m also a HoM and report to a board. Your senior leadership and board sound incredibly unsupportive. This is not what it should be like. The email sounds like it is trying to make things as hard for you as possible.

My CEO and board are very supportive. They want to assess performance and see learning and testing, but they offer support, not berating me and backing me into a corner like this. I really feel for you. I don’t have any advice other than hold your head high, offer the facts and bottom line narrative neutrally, and put the spin on it that PPs have suggested - rolling out the same nationally next time should yield further results.

Ignore the PPs harsh comment. This isn’t the 80’s 🙄

Perhaps check your grammar before you criticise someone else.
You don't sound qualified to pass judgement.

Sorry OP nothing to add to post.

You’re being paid to do a job so it’s reasonable that they expected you to produce a campaign that meets the objectives set out.

It's only a reasonable expectation if the OP had been given the tools and autonomy to do the job, which as stated in the original post is not the case.

OP, the answer to the question is simple - the parameters as laid out by the board emphasised regional media over national reach, which impacted the ROAS as predicted in your original assessment. You clearly know that and know your job. I understand there are only so many ways to reiterate "that's not how marketing works" to people who expect miracles, but this time the answer is simple.

Trying to add anything to it just sounds like justification, so stick to simplicity.

Yes the OP is being paid to do a job and that job is to use her professional skills and experience to deliver a set objectives. The board did not listen to her recommendations, which were based upon her knowledge of marketing, and instead forced her to adopt an approach which she warned would be unsuccessful.

Now that the OPs predications have transpired they seem to be forgetting their role in the delivery of the strategy (which was to ignore her advice) and want to blame her.

I'd be furious if I were you OP. You've had some good advice about how to manage the meeting but I'd also echo the PPs who have said you should look for another job. This organisation sounds awful.

Sorry, this was in response to the ridiculous post from @iwannabedrunk

Blimey, sort your own spelling and grammar out before criticising others - this looks like it was posted by a 5 year old.

What a load of nonsense.

It sounds like one of those twat-bags of a situations where senior execs think they can dictate marketing just because they have seen adverts before. No other discipline gets treated so poorly. Ignore the poster above they obviously have never faced this situation.

Right, it's big girl pants on. Probably you're going to get chewed out but that's fine if you're prepped for it. That might just be the purpose of the meeting to make someone else feel better by kicking the shit along.

I'd outline the constraints at beginning and refer to them as the parameters of the brief. I'd show the clear outcomes from the strategy. This would just be bullets not figures. That's the reasoning for the "failure" in a nutshell; they asked for a national campaign but didn't let you run a national campaign.

I'd stick your metric and results in a back up slide. The messaging of the ads obviously resonated. You'll have got some good segment data. You can skim off where a national campaign might work and you can talk budgets.

Take no shit. Practice your statements about the duality of the ask and just repeat. If you feel yourself getting upset, lower your voice (really helps) and the speed of your words. Ask questions back, treat them as small toddlers and don't be afraid to throw in a few patronising comments like "Jeff doesn't seem to be able to see the direct correlation between the brief constraints and the measurable outcomes - what else can I do to outline the process?"

And then look for a new job. Something bad is on the way and your leadership team are crapping themselves in a spectacular unhelpful way. Life is too short and decent companies exist. You've only been there a year, you've nothing to lose.

I’m sorry this is happening- sounds like you did everything you possibly could.

This is horrible. When it happened to me I took no prisoners. I think I’d keep it very factual.
This is what you- the board - wanted the outcome to be…
This is what you needed to do
This is what you did
This is what you got.
Also suggest you reference dates/paperwork where you raised concerns. Vague means you might be to blame but specific means you are on top of what you do.
Also suggest that you point out that the things you mention are amongst some of the most basic things you were taught during training.
if they ask what you have learnt from the experience, explain that in future you would be more assertive about how important it is they take you points on board. They need to give you the brief and the budget and fuck off with their uninformed opinions and let you do the job they have employed you to do.
Good Luck.

OP, the answer to the question is simple - the parameters as laid out by the board emphasised regional media over national reach, which impacted the ROAS as predicted in your original assessment. You clearly know that and know your job. I understand there are only so many ways to reiterate "that's not how marketing works" to people who expect miracles, but this time the answer is simple.
**
Trying to add anything to it just sounds like justification, so stick to simplicity.

I agree wholeheartedly with this.

“you should not present an evaluation of the campaign. Instead you should present clear reasoning as to why the campaign did not meet our objectives of increasing sales on a national scale”.

The campaign did not meet the objective of increasing sales on a national scale, because paid-for media was restricted to regional bases. In the regions paid-for media was used, the objective of increasing sales was met, so the learning for future campaigns is to listen to the tucking marketing experts you dumbasses plan to increase spend on national paid-for media.

That’s a ridiculously vague target! And given you were stuck with that even after challenging it, I do feel that they’re in the wrong.

But you’re focusing on paid media in your post, and say you were told paid media only for those regions.

What about the rest of the marketing strategy? Are you responsible for owned media for example, and more could have been delivered there?

Are you also responsible for trade promotions, where there could have been a regional strategy? Even if your company splits trade spend from above the line advertising, of HoM you’d be working with Head of (Sales?) whatever terms your company uses - to align on the same aim.

Definitely go in all guns blazing that you told them no regional advertising would mean no regional advertising impact! But, if you’re responsible for other channels too, be ready to explain why those haven’t generated growth.

In a few months it'll all be forgotten.

Come with proposed solutions

Good luck today OP - I’ll be thinking of you because this is such a shitty situation. You’re being hauled over the coals when your hands were tied to begin with.

Lots of great advice on this thread that I hope galvanises you to fight back and state the case simply and factually.

I agree with @nodogz that this is very telling behaviour from the SMT and board. Something is up and they’re making it about you, when it’s not.

But you don’t need paid media. There are many low cost digital ways to do this. Inc In store or online promotions. And now you want to cry. Increasing sales is far far from just paid media.

How long have you worked there OP?

This “you should not present an evaluation of the campaign. Instead you should present clear reasoning as to why the campaign did not meet our objectives of increasing sales on a national scale”.

Looks like clear evidence of the bosses being utterly unreasonable to me.
It's not you, it's them, they are toxic.

I work in a similar role. Your board/management seem very antiquated.

But your post did raise questions - at that level you shouldn't be waiting around to be told what to do, or even asking for more detail. It should be you putting forward your strategy and leading it. I would plan to leave.