More than matching collars and cuffs...

Everywhere I’ve been this week fundraising types have been talking about integration.

It’s a word that can be dropped into any fundraising conversation to make the person that dropped it appear really smart.

It’s a word that is meaningless unless everyone in the conversation has a common understanding of what it means.

I think integration for campaigns means… 

Having a clear and single minded proposition.

One that can be articulated in many ways in many places to many people.

Integration is not…

A logo.

A visual identity.

A strapline.

If you are integrating well you’re communicating the same thing across multiple channels to multiple audiences in a variety of executions. And everyone gets it.

If you’re integrating well all your colleagues and all your agencies get it and are producing work that effortlessly feels part of your campaign. Most importantly it doesn’t need to be explained.

Good integration is more than matching collars and cuffs.