BUU44552 Digital Marketing 2025/26
(5 ECTS)
Lecturer:
Dr Laura Berry
Email: : laura.berry@tcd.ie
Office Hours: On request via email
Pre-Requisite(s):
BUU33700 - Contemporary Marketing Management
BUU33710 - Consumer Behaviour
Available to Exchange students
Module Description
This module equips students with the strategic mindset and practical skills needed to plan, execute, and evaluate digital marketing activities. Emphasis is placed on applying core digital techniques and tools across a data and AI-driven marketing landscape. Students will critically engage with digital platforms and practices including search, social media, content marketing and performance analytics.
Practical assignments will involve developing a digital marketing plan for a company, including strategy formulation and campaign planning across channels such as Google Ads (Search and Display), social media platforms, and SEO. Students will also make recommendations for content, user experience, and website optimization.
This module equips students with core digital skills and literacy, preparing them to navigate the demands of technology-driven marketing environments.
Learning and Teaching Approach
The module will be delivered through a series of eleven 2-hour interactive lectures across the term. Guest lecturers from industry will be invited to share insights and real-world perspectives. Five tutorials will complement the lectures, providing focused support on assessments and practical application of tools.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
- Conduct digital audits and formulate a strategically aligned digital marketing plan.
- Apply core digital techniques including SEO, PPC, social media marketing, and web analytics.
- Collaborate with generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney) to create, evaluate, and refine digital content while demonstrate ethical awareness in AI and data use within digital campaigns.
- Communicate campaign strategy and performance insights in clear, compelling formats for stakeholders.
- Reflect critically on how digital technologies shape marketing practice and consumer experience.
Relation to Degree
Digital marketing is an important component in the marketing landscape and now makes up a significant proportion of the marketing mix for many companies and organisations. This module is seen as a core competency for students moving into marketing roles in the workplace.
Furthermore, digital is ubiquitous across the business landscape and learning core digital skills will be applicable across the gamut of business disciplines including sales, procurement, finance and HR.
Workload
| Content | Indicative Number of Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecturing hours | 22 |
| Preparation for lectures | 22 |
|
Tutorials |
6 |
| Individual assignment | 25 |
| Group assignment | 30 |
| Reading of assigned materials and active reflection on lecture and course content and linkage to personal experiences | 20 |
| Total | 125 |
Recommended Texts/Key Reading
No required core course textbook. All readings and course material will be uploaded to Blackboard.
General Supplemental Readings
- Digital Marketing Strategy, Kingsworth 3rd edition
- Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation, and Practice" (8th Edition) by Dave Chaffey and Fiona Ellis-Chadwick
Student Preparation for the Module
To support your learning and enhance your practical skills in digital marketing, you are strongly encouraged to complete relevant Google certifications before and during the module. These certifications are free, widely recognised in the industry, and provide valuable hands-on knowledge in key areas in digital marketing. Suggested courses include:
- Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
- Google Ads Search Certification
- Google Ads Display Certification
- Google Ads Measurement Certification
- Google Analytics Individual Qualification
Assessment
Assessment 1: Critical Reflection
Weighting: 40%
In this individual assignment, students will submit a critical, research-informed reflective essay on a topic of their choice related to emerging practices, debates, or challenges in digital marketing. The aim is to encourage thoughtful engagement with how digital tools, platforms, and technologies are shaping the field and what this means for consumers, businesses, and the future of marketing.
Students are encouraged to select their own essay title, drawing on themes discussed during the module. Sample ideas will be explored in class to support topic development.
As part of this assessment, students are expected to engage meaningfully and practically with at least one AI tool and may include relevant artefacts. These can be embedded within the essay or attached as an appendix where appropriate.
A detailed brief will be provided in week 1.
Assessment 2: Group Digital Marketing Strategy & Campaign
Weighting: 60%
Format: Group Assignment (Teams of 4-5 students)
In this group project, students will act as a digital marketing team developing a strategy and campaign for a brand or company. Groups will be self-selected and will choose from a selection of live-brand briefs provided during the module.
Each brief will outline key background information and marketing goals. Based on this, students will develop an integrated digital marketing strategy tailored to the brand’s needs. This should include audience insights, campaign objectives, channel planning, and creative ideas, with appropriate use of digital tools and AI technologies where relevant.
Further details and briefs will be introduced later in the course.
Repeat Assessment (100%)
Students required to undertake repeat assessments will be required to complete an individual assignment. Further details will be provided in due course.
Biographical Note:
Dr Laura Berry is Assistant Professor of Digital Marketing & AI at Trinity Business School. She brings over a decade of industry experience in strategic marketing, digital communications, and brand development, having worked with organisations including IDA Ireland, KBC Bank, and the New York Board of Trade.
Laura holds a PhD in Marketing from Trinity College Dublin. Her current work examines the intersection of sensory marketing, AI, and emerging digital experiences.
She is passionate about bridging theory and practice in the classroom, helping students build future-facing skills through critical thinking, creativity, and applied digital projects.