This manual provides documentation for the Youth Media Campaign Longitudinal Survey (YMCLS) data files from 2002, 2003 and 2004. The manual contains background information on the survey; a description of the sample design; an explanation of weighting and imputation; an account of data collection procedures and response rates; descriptions of the files and the variables in them; and directions for using the files.

In June 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a national campaign to encourage 9- to 13-year-olds to be physically active everyday. Using the brand and tagline, “VERBTM It’s What You Do,” the Youth Media Campaign combined paid advertising with school and community promotions and internet activities to disseminate its health-promotion messages.

Campaign planners identified 9- to 13- year-olds, their parents, and other influencers such as coaches and teachers as t he three key audiences; the majority of campaign activity was directed at children. Targeted campaigns intended to augment the general market advertising were created for several racial/ethnic subpopulations.

The campaign employs a brand marketing strategy similar to that used by many commercial products. The brand, VERB, is intended to carry the health promotion message by associating itself with attributes with which the target audience desires to be associated. As members of the target audience seek to identify with VERB, they will incorporate the key campaign message, that they be more physically active, into their lifestyle. All forms of media (e.g., television, radio, print on-line), as well as intercept marketing techniques and public events, were used. The majority of the advertising was placed on cable television networks with predominantly child audiences. During 2002–2003 t he advertising was largely focused on developing awareness of and affinity for the brand. In year two, 2003–2004, the advertising sought to motivate the target audience to engage in physical activity.

To assess the impact of these efforts, Westat administered a telephone survey, the Youth Media Campaign Longitudinal Survey (YMCLS) to children and parents.