"Integrated Marketing" is one of those industry buzz phrases that every company talks about and few achieve. In theory, it sounds like a good idea - the concept of integrating advertising, direct mail, web and other media into one, integrated, synergistic campaign.

In reality, the pace of change in high-tech marketing - new products, new competition - make it difficult to even synchronize different media - that is, execute them in a similar timeframe - let alone combine them into one, integrated campaign. But even short of true integration, most companies are anxious to leverage the expense of say, advertising creative when it comes to executing other media, say direct mail.

We're often asked to utilize images from clients' ad campaigns in their direct mail programs. In general, there's nothing wrong with this - besides the cost savings, it also serves to reinforce a visual image in the marketplace - especially when we're mailing to subscribers of magazines where the ad will appear.

The problem occurs when that image demands a certain headline or supporting copy. Advertising is rarely response-oriented - the call to action (if there is one) is usually buried at best, whereas in an effective direct mail campaign, the entire creative, copy and design, is focused on one thing only - getting the reader to take action.

About a year ago, we tested a 4-color brochure featuring a client's advertising graphics and headline against a simple, 2-color lift note showing a photo of the offer (a brochure and white paper) and a simple call to action. The lift note outpulled the brochure by a significant margin.

Think long and hard before you use advertising copy in your direct mail. The two media are fundamentally different - and blindly re-using ad creative can significantly decrease response.