Updated Audience Assessment and Engagement Plan Deliverable Item No. 10 USAID/Zimbabwe - My Health, My Life Activity 72061318C00002 May 29, 2020 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development under contract 72061318C00002. It was prepared by The Kaizen Company. CONTENTS Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 1 The My Health, My Life (MHML) Activity ..................................................................................................... 1 Overview and Purpose ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Changes in the Operating Environment ................................................................................................................ 2 Updated Target Audience Assessment ................................................................................................................. 3 Overview and Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 3 Audience Demographics .................................................................................................................................... 4 Media Engagement and Entertainment Data ................................................................................................. 6 Updated Engagement Plan ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Social Engagement Management .................................................................................................................... 11 Key Themes, Messaging, & Branding ............................................................................................................ 15 Social Media Strategy ........................................................................................................................................ 18 Promotional Campaigns ................................................................................................................................... 23 Outreach Activities ........................................................................................................................................... 25 Audience Engagement Monitoring And Measurement .................................................................................... 26 VisiblyHEARD – Audience Response and Message Retention ............................................................... 26 Annex 1: Target Audience Assessment Deliverable 4 ..................................................................................... 27 Overview and Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 27 Audience Demographics .................................................................................................................................. 28 Media Engagement and Entertainment Data ............................................................................................... 31 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Updated Audience Assessment and Engagement Plan was prepared by The Kaizen Company for the USAID/Zimbabwe My Health, My Life (MHML) Activity, in collaboration with consortium members Impact(Ed) International, Picture Impact, and implementing partner FHI 360. In this document, we outline our updated operating environment, goals, strategy, and activities to generate excitement for MHML multimedia products and to monitor their reach and impact. The My Health, My Life (MHML) Activity The My Health, My Life Activity, a USAID/Zimbabwe-supported initiative, will create a movement that breaks down message fatigue barriers around complex, intertwined health issues challenging adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Zimbabwe. This two-year intervention will support AGYW in health behavior change by moving their world through a vibrant, multi-media reality. In partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe, and implemented by international and local implementing partners, we have designed, produced, and will distribute a movie, interactive card game, and audience engagement strategy. Powerful enough to create a nationwide movement, these products for social behavior change will support a healthy, vibrant future for Zimbabwe. For the audience engagement component, MHML is developing communication channels to engage audiences, leverage participation, and monitor the success of outreach and health messaging. We plan to build audience buy-in and generate buzz through the following channels: social media engagement; promotional activities for core-audience cultivation; and two-way communication campaigns to measure audience engagement and message retention. Overview and Purpose The purpose of the Updated Audience Assessment and Engagement Plan is to outline the MHML Activity’s strategies and tools for high impact audience engagement, reaffirming optimal communication channels for movie promotion, and setting specific parameters for audience outreach (before and after the release of Shaina). As detailed in Annex I, from January 2019 to February 2019, Kaizen conducted a limited, intentional audience assessment to collect information on the primary target audience (AGYW), secondary audiences (adolescent boys and young men (ABYM), parents, teachers, etc.) and existing resources and partnerships, to establish high-impact, cost-effective means to engage audiences and cultivate behavior change. Building on the findings of the original assessment, we have continued to gather data from our partners and local communications firms to provide an analysis of the shifting social, political, and health context within Zimbabwe. To achieve our engagement goals this deliverable outlines our rationale and implementation plan in four sections: • Changes in the Operating Environment: Since DKP Consortium delivered the original Audience Assessment and Engagement Plan in February 2019, the social, political, and economic context in Zimbabwe has shifted significantly. Most notably, we will explain how the COVID-19 Pandemic has presented obstacles to in-person meetings, outreach, and engagement activities, and the resulting changes we have made throughout our strategy. • Updated Target Audience Assessment: This section expands upon the Target Audience Assessment conducted at the beginning of 2019 (Annex I) and provides updated data to identify the most efficient communication platforms and reshape the existing strategy to prioritize marketing and communication efforts. 1 | P a g e • Engagement Plan: Based on our target audience assessment findings and the changing context within Zimbabwe due to COVID-19, we have created an engagement plan that includes: Social Engagement Management; Key Themes, Messaging & Branding; Social Media Strategy; Promotional Campaigns; and Outreach Activities. Throughout the plan, we address key operational components necessary to successfully manage multiple activities simultaneously, including time frames, flexible options in case of social distancing requirements, roles and responsibilities, and organizational partnerships. • Audience Engagement Monitoring and Measurement: We present the information- technology enabled, semi-automated campaigns we will mobilize to collect data on target audience responses to the movie, as well as their retention of key messages. The depth of engagement and monitoring will enable MHML to evaluate product reach and message retention. This document guides implementation: however, this strategy remains an iterative process and encourages flexibility, adaptability, and collaboration across the DKP Consortium, IPs, and USAID. In line with our proposal and based on the available funding, Kaizen presents a strategy focused on utilizing existing relationships with IPs and other organizations on the ground to best maximize impact and outcome. This plan is geared towards engaging the target audience AGYW and their communities via projects with an already established presence. While we plan on reaching populations beyond AGYW and secondary audiences already participating in existing projects (e.g. DREAMS), we will use this presence as a starting point, focusing on incentive strategies to expand reach to peers unfamiliar with these organizations. Overall, this collaborative, cross-cutting approach not only engages stakeholders and beneficiaries, it effectively utilizes targeted mechanisms and promotional channels throughout outreach and implementation. CHANGES IN THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT In January 2019, mass protests broke out when a labor movement gained momentum as Zimbabweans reacted to a 150% increase in fuel prices and a famine caused by drought.1 In response to the protests, the government shut down internet and mobile data networks and has continued to consider new legislation to regulate social media and criminalize certain online behavior.2 Protests ensued for the majority of 2019 and many anti-government activists have been detained.3 The economy remains in a state of hyperinflation with many Zimbabweans unable to access clean water and food.4 The situation has been worsened in 2020 by the challenges from the COVID-19 Pandemic discussed below.5 On May 30th, 2019, MHML received an extension from USAID for seven