The lines between direct marketing and brand marketing have all but disappeared according to a new study, "The Integration of DM and Brand," by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), writes MarketingCharts.

Direct marketing's versatility and measurability have led marketers to integrate direct marketing tactics into all brand marketing efforts across multiple channels, the DMA said.

The following are among the report's key findings:

• Overall, 56 percent of respondents say they use one or more direct marketing channels in conjunction with their brand awareness advertising.
• 50 percent report using web marketing with response mechanisms; 48 percent use trackable offers; 43 percent practice list building; 45 percent include calls-to-action on web pages; and 32 percent use response analyses and modeling.
• Email marketing is also commonly combined with a range of direct marketing tactics: e.g., 52 percent of respondents use calls-to-action in their emails; 50 percent use targeting; 47 percent include trackable offers and response mechanisms; and 46 percent practice email list building.

"Direct marketing's scalability, measurability, and undeniable ROI has moved it to the forefront of all marketing, including branding," reports Eugenia Steingold, PhD, DMA senior research manager and author of the new report.

"The findings of our latest report show that direct marketing tactics designed to increase consumer awareness and action are ubiquitous - from URLs on all marketing materials, to 800 numbers, to calls-to-action in TV, radio, and print ads - and across every other type of marketing media."

MarketingCharts provides additional data from the report.