Week 1 Tutorial: Evidence, Persona, and Media Plan

Discussion

1 Concept Check & Footprint

⏱ 25 min

Moodle quiz; classify ten digital statements in pairs; challenge two with AI.

Investigation

2 Trends Evidence

⏱ 30 min

Screenshots with query strings, date ranges, geographic filters, and related queries.

Investigation

3 Interpretations + Market Insights

⏱ 30 min

Competing interpretations; market insight data (DataReportal or equivalent); theory into channel decision.

Production

4 Persona + Media Plan

⏱ 25 min

Four-sentence persona; start five-day media plan; peer check.

Assessment

5 Peer Audit & Upload

⏱ 10 min

Peer evidence checklist; author responds; submit PDF to Moodle.

Session Overview (1 of 2): Evidence Collection

Time Activity Output
0:00 to 0:05 Opening concept check (Moodle quiz) and topic confirmation Concept gap noted; campaign topic confirmed
0:05 to 0:25 Activity 1: Footprint or Signal? (pairs) Classification table with AI challenge note
0:25 to 0:55 Activity 2, Part 1: Google Trends evidence capture 2 to 3 documented screenshots in evidence worksheet
0:55 to 1:05 Activity 3: Competing interpretations One-paragraph reasoning note
1:05 to 1:25 Activity 2, Part 2 + Activity 4: Market insight capture and theory into decision (combined) Market insight screenshots; decision-change table

If you are running behind on evidence capture, keep going and complete the earlier step in your self-directed hours. Artefact quality matters more than breadth at this stage.

Session Overview (2 of 2): Artefacts and Upload

Time Activity Output
1:25 to 1:40 Activity 5, Part A: Draft persona (15 min) Four-sentence persona with trace citations
1:40 to 1:45 Peer check: persona (5 min) One revision made before moving on
1:45 to 1:50 Activity 5, Part B: Start media plan (5 min in session) First two rows of plan started
1:50 to 2:00 Activity 6: Peer evidence audit and upload Checklist returned; PDF uploaded to Moodle

The persona and media plan continue in your six self-directed hours. The draft you upload today is a starting point, not a finished submission.

Tutorial Task Overview

The brief is on Moodle. Key points:

  • Choose one campaign topic: a product, service, or cause that you can research using public digital tools
  • Your topic should have visible search interest: test it in Google Trends before committing
  • Your audience should be identifiable from public traces: choose topics where reviews, questions, or community activity are visible in public sources
  • You will produce one persona and one five-day media plan for that topic
  • You have six self-directed hours after this session to refine and complete the submission

If you are unsure whether your topic works: enter it into Google Trends right now. If there is a clear interest line over the last 12 months, you have enough to start. If the line is flat at zero, choose a related but broader topic.

Activity 1: Footprint or Signal? (20 minutes)

Work in pairs. Classify each statement using one label: footprint, evidence, inference, assumption, or recommendation. Record a one-sentence reason. Then challenge two of your classifications with AI and note the final decision.

# Statement
1 Searches for “digital marketing course Maldives” increased by 42 per cent over twelve months to December 2025 (Google Trends).
2 A TripAdvisor review: “The villa was beautiful but there was no information about reaching it from the ferry terminal.”
3 Google Trends related queries for “small business marketing” in Maldives show “Facebook page setup” and “Instagram tips for business” as top rising queries.
4 Market Finder reports that 68 per cent of internet users in the Maldives access the internet primarily via mobile devices.
5 A Reddit thread in r/maldivesnomads has 47 upvotes on “Best atolls for remote workers” with 23 comments about coworking and connectivity.
6 A YouTube video titled “How to run Facebook Ads for your guesthouse” has 8,200 views and 143 comments.
7 A guesthouse owner in a Facebook group: “We get most of our bookings through Instagram direct messages, not our website.”
8 World Bank Open Data: mobile cellular subscriptions in Maldives at 209 per 100 people in 2023.
9 Avas.mv headline: “Young Maldivians prefer digital payments over cash, new survey finds.”
10 A Facebook post in a Maldives tourism group: shared 312 times, 87 comments asking for booking information.

Activity 2, Part 2 + Activity 4: Market Insight and Theory

Choose one market insight source. Open it now and take 1 to 2 documented screenshots, then complete the decision-change table (Activity 4) before moving to the persona.

Market Insight: Choose Your Tool

Tool Best for Requirement URL
DataReportal Country-level digital statistics: internet users, social penetration, platform use None: fully free, no account datareportal.com/reports
Google Market Finder Priority export markets and digital consumer index by country A published website URL for your campaign topic marketfinder.thinkwithgoogle.com
Think with Google Consumer insight articles and trend data by category None thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights
World Bank Open Data Internet access rates, mobile subscriptions, population data None data.worldbank.org

Steps (all tools):

  1. Open your chosen tool and search for your target country or campaign category.
  2. Find statistics relevant to your audience: internet access, platform use, device type, or market size.
  3. Screenshot the relevant panel or chart.
  4. Record: tool name, URL, statistic title, date published, and today’s collection date.
  5. Describe the footprint (what the data shows), write one cautious inference, write one limit.

Documenting Market Insight Evidence

For each market insight screenshot, complete one row of your evidence worksheet:

Field What to record Example
Tool Name of the source used DataReportal
Source detail Report title, URL, or statistic name “Digital 2026: Maldives” at datareportal.com/reports
Region / Category Country or category searched Maldives
Collection date Today’s date 2026-06-27
Footprint (what I see) Statistics or indicators shown 84% of the Maldives population uses social media; Facebook and Instagram are the top platforms
Signal (what it may indicate) Careful interpretation High social penetration may indicate that social channels are viable for awareness campaigns targeting a broad adult audience
Caution What this does not prove Penetration figures show access and usage; they do not confirm that this audience actively seeks campaign-related content on these platforms

Label the output as an inference, not a conclusion. Population-level statistics describe the environment, not the specific target audience.

Additional Public Traces

Beyond Trends and Market Finder, you need at least one more public trace. Options:

Source type Where to find it What to record
OTA reviews TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Airbnb (for tourism topics) Platform, number of reviews checked, date range, recurring phrases or themes
Forum questions Reddit, Quora, community Facebook groups Platform, number of threads, date range, exact questions quoted
Competitor social content Public Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn pages Platform, post type, engagement indicators (likes, comments, shares), content themes
Credible report or dataset Ministry of Tourism, GSMA, Statista (free tier), academic source Author/organisation, year, page reference, key statistic quoted
YouTube search suggestions Type your topic into YouTube search bar Exact search term used, date, auto-complete suggestions shown (screenshot)

At least one of your three evidence sources must be a public review, question, or credible report, in addition to Trends and your market insight source.

Activity 3: Competing Interpretations (10 minutes)

Individual. Read the trace below. Complete three steps before looking at the AI’s answer.

Trace: Google Trends (Maldives) shows searches for “online course” rose 68 per cent year on year in the twelve months to January 2025. Top related queries: “online certificate programmes”, “diploma in business management online”, “evening classes Male”. Interest concentrated in Male atoll. Collected: 15 January 2025.

Step 1. Write three possible interpretations using hedged language: “this may suggest…”, “one possibility is…”, “this could indicate…”.

Step 2. Ask AI for three possible interpretations of the same trace. Record the exact prompt.

Step 3. Select the most defensible interpretation across both sets. In two sentences: (a) why it is stronger than the alternatives, (b) what evidence would confirm it.

Tip

The strongest interpretation is the one closest to what the trace shows with the fewest added assumptions. If an interpretation adds audience motivation, emotion, or purchase intent that is not in the data, it is an assumption.

Activity 4: Theory into a Campaign Decision (10 minutes)

Individual. Apply uses and gratifications theory or social contagion theory to revise one decision in your emerging plan.

Element Your entry
Campaign topic
Original channel or message decision
Theory applied Uses and Gratifications or Social Contagion
Specific principle from the theory
Revised decision
Evidence item from your worksheet that supports the revision

Worked example:

Element Example
Topic Weekend digital skills workshop for guesthouse owners
Original decision General Facebook feed advertisement
Theory Uses and gratifications
Principle Audience uses Facebook to solve business problems (information-seeking), not for entertainment
Revised decision Targeted posts in Facebook business groups framed as “how to” answers
Evidence Google Trends related query: “how to market guesthouse online” (Trace 3)

Activity 5, Part A: Draft Your Persona (15 minutes)

You now have at least three documented evidence items. Write one paragraph of three to four sentences using the template on the next slide.

Write first. Peer-check after.

Persona Template: Four Sentences

Fill in each bracket, cite a Trace number for each claim, or label it [ASSUMPTION]. Then remove the brackets and read it aloud.

Sentence 1: [Audience segment: who they are and their role or situation] who [situation or problem they face right now].

Sentence 2: They are motivated by [what they are trying to accomplish], but their main barrier is [the specific obstacle the campaign must address].

Sentence 3: They tend to [media habits: where and how they seek information or make decisions].

Sentence 4: This persona is grounded in [evidence summary: name which traces support it]; the assumption that [key assumption] would require further primary research to confirm.

Seven elements to verify (all must be present):

Element Check
Segment Grounded in a public trace, not assumed
Situation or problem Which trace reveals this need?
Motivation Does a U&G or contagion signal support this?
Barrier Specific enough to change a campaign decision?
Media habits Which trace shows where they seek information?
Evidence summary All named traces documented in the worksheet?
Key assumption The one claim most in need of primary research?

Peer Check: Persona (5 minutes)

Swap with your partner. Complete the checklist. Return with one improvement suggestion.

Check Pass or Needs Work
Is it a single paragraph of three to four sentences?
Does every claim cite a Trace number or carry [ASSUMPTION]?
Does it describe a real situation and a specific barrier?
Is the barrier specific enough to change a campaign decision?
Does it avoid undefendable adjectives (e.g., “tech-savvy”, “passionate”)?
Is the key assumption clearly named in sentence 4?

Write one sentence of specific feedback: which claim needs a stronger evidence link or a sharper statement?

Author: read the comment, revise one sentence, then move to the media plan.

Activity 5, Part B: Start Your Media Plan (5 min in session, complete in self-study)

The media plan is a five-day argument that builds from attention to action.

Start one or two rows in session. Complete all five rows during your self-directed study hours.

Every row must have: Day / Goal / Channel / Message / Format / Budget tier / Metric.

Media Plan Template

Complete one row per day. Every decision should connect to a trace from your evidence worksheet or a principle from the persona.

Day Goal Channel Message (one sentence) Format Budget tier Metric
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Goal options: Awareness / Question-answering / Enquiry generation / Sharing / Decision support

Budget tiers: Owned (no paid spend) / Low paid boost (under MVR 500 / USD 30) / Organic only / Retargeting only

The progression should move from Attention (Mon) through Relevance, Resource, Proof, to Action (Fri). A plan with five identical “awareness” rows needs revision: each day should reflect a different stage in the audience’s journey.

Media Plan: Self-Check (Complete in Self-Directed Hours)

Before submitting, confirm each row passes these checks:

Check Row passes if…
Does the goal match what the audience needs at this stage? The goal reflects where the audience is in their decision journey
Does the channel have strong fit for this goal and this audience? The audience already uses this channel for this kind of task
Does the message address the specific barrier in the persona? The message speaks to the identified obstacle, not a generic benefit
Does the metric measure the behaviour the goal requires? An awareness goal has a reach or completion metric; an action goal has a conversion metric
Is the budget tier realistic for the channel? Paid channels have a budget entry; owned channels say “no paid spend”

Apply the social contagion diagnostic: does each message give the audience a reason to share, discuss, or return? A message with a weak sharing reason should be revised before the channel is changed.

AI Protocol: Prompt Log Completion

Your prompt log must show how AI augmented your evidence work rather than substituting for it.

Minimum three entries. Each entry links to a specific evidence item or a decision in the persona or plan.

Prompt Log: Required Format

Complete at least three rows of this table:

Entry Purpose Exact prompt used AI output (paste or summarise) Evidence link Your decision
1 Search route generation Paste your exact prompt here Paste or summarise what AI returned Link to which screenshot this informed Why you accepted, revised, or rejected the output
2 Trace interpretation Paste your exact prompt here Paste or summarise what AI returned Link to which evidence item this informed Why you accepted, revised, or rejected the output
3 Persona or plan review Paste your exact prompt here Paste or summarise what AI returned N/A Why you accepted, revised, or rejected the output

If you completed the session without AI assistance: write three example prompts you would use and describe what you would do with the output. A log entry explaining your approach is required in place of a blank log.

A completed prompt log is required for all submissions, regardless of content quality.

300-Word Reflection: What to Write

The reflection is a critical evaluation of your evidence choices: three paragraphs, one claim each.

Paragraph Write about… How to start
1. Evidence What specific claim does your evidence support? Name the evidence item and the inference. “The evidence supports the inference that…”
2. Uncertainty What assumption did you make that still needs testing? Name it and the method you would use to confirm it. “The key assumption in this persona is… A short survey of… would be needed to confirm it.”
3. Ethical risk What is one limit of using public traces in this campaign? What would you do differently with a larger research budget? “A public-trace approach can show… but cannot confirm… With a larger budget, I would…”

Each paragraph: 80 to 100 words. Target total: 300 words.

Start paragraph 1 with the claim itself: “The evidence supports the inference that…”

Activity 6: Peer Evidence Audit and Upload

Exchange your evidence worksheet with your partner.

Reviewer: complete the checklist on the next slide for each evidence item.

Author: respond to at least one comment, then upload your PDF to Moodle before leaving.

Submission Checklist

Mark each item honestly before you upload.

Item Status
Campaign topic: one sentence Done / In progress
Google Trends evidence: at least 2 screenshots, all worksheet fields completed Done / In progress
Market insight source evidence: at least 1 screenshot (DataReportal, Market Finder, or equivalent), all worksheet fields completed Done / In progress
Third public trace: review, question, or credible report Done / In progress
Evidence worksheet: 4 rows, all fields completed Done / In progress
AI prompt log: minimum 3 entries, all fields completed Done / In progress
One-paragraph persona: four sentences, every claim cites a trace or [ASSUMPTION] Done / In progress
Five-day media plan: goal, channel, message, format, resource, and metric for all five rows Done / In progress
300-word reflection: three paragraphs on evidence, uncertainty, and ethical risk Done / In progress
One primary research method named (the assumption stated in persona sentence 4) Done / In progress
Reference list in APA format, including Google Trends and your market insight source Done / In progress

Deadline and upload instructions are on Moodle. A submission missing any item may be returned for resubmission.

Exit Ticket

Before you close your laptop, write these three sentences:

  1. “The evidence I collected supports the claim that…” (complete the sentence with a specific, labelled inference from your evidence worksheet)

  2. “The assumption in my persona that would need further testing is…” (name it precisely)

  3. “One ethical limit of using public traces in this campaign is…” (name a specific limit, not a general statement about privacy)

These three sentences are the skeleton of your 300-word reflection. Write them now while the evidence is fresh. Return to them in your self-directed study hours to expand each into a full paragraph.

Week 1 Summary and Next Steps

What you have built today:

  • Documented evidence from at least three public sources
  • A one-paragraph persona grounded in that evidence
  • A five-day media plan with goal, channel, message, format, budget, and metric for each day
  • The skeleton of your 300-word reflection

Self-directed hours this week (6 hours):

Task Suggested time
Refine persona and check every sentence against evidence 1.5 hours
Complete and expand 300-word reflection 1.5 hours
Format evidence worksheet, reference list, and prompt log for submission 1 hour
Read Week 1 chapter sections on any learning objective you marked as weak 2 hours

Week 2 preview: Campaign Planning Canvas. Your Week 1 persona is the audience input. Bring it to the next session.