The Hawthorne Direct Story Looking Back After producing

The Hawthorne Direct Story

Looking Back • After producing one of the first infomercials to air since 1984 which grossed more than $50 million in one year, Tim Hawthorne founded Hawthorne Communications (now Hawthorne Direct). • The company began with $10, 000 in personal funding, one client and $250, 000 in media billings. • Hawthorne and one assistant worked out of a 250 square-foot office. • By 1989, the company employed 15 people with billings of more than $10 million. • The company had produced the most successful stop smoking program ever: Life. Sign with host E. G. Marshal.

Looking Back • In 1990, Hawthorne produced and launched an infomercial for Time Life – the first in a series of dozens of infomercial successes for Time Life created by Hawthorne. • In 1991, Hawthorne purchased an 80, 000 square foot facility at 300 North 16 th (formerly owned by Universal Producing Company). The company remodeled the offices and built a production studio and tape duplication facility.

300 N 16 th Street - Fairfield, Iowa Home of Hawthorne Direct

Universal Producing Company (Previous Owner of Building)

Remodeled conference areas

Looking Back • From 1991 – 1995, Hawthorne created highly successful infomercials for a number of major companies, including Braun and Apple Computer. • The company grew to 50 employees and billings of more than $55 million. • In 1996, Hawthorne won the DMA Echo Award for the Nissan infomercial – the first infomercial to win this coveted award.

Display case in front lobby for awards won

Looking Back • In 1997, Tim Hawthorne’s book, Complete Guide to Infomercial Marketing, was published by NTC The Business Books. • From 1998 – 2003, Hawthorne launched more successful campaigns for start up companies such as Roto. Zip and Aero, and for organizations and corporations such as US Navy and Procter & Gamble. • Hawthorne’s web site was developed and serves as a resource for individuals and organizations who want to learn about DRTV.

www. hawthornedirect. com

Hawthorne Direct Today, Hawthorne Direct is one of the industry’s leading full-service DRTV advertising agencies with: • 18 years of experience managing 400+ long and short form campaigns in every product category • The industry’s most sophisticated DRTV computer analysis/management system • 65 employees • Creative/production facility and staff • Nine media buyers • 2003 billings: $85 million • Corporate office in Fairfield IA; western regional office in Beverly Hills • Satellite offices in: Boulder and Colorado Springs CO, Lakeland FL, St. Simons Island GA, Sedona AZ, Alexandria VA

Hawthorne’s Menu of Services • Product positioning, pricing • Tape duplication/trafficking • Creative and scripting • Production • Inbound telemarketing & fulfillment management • • • Media planning, testing Media buying and rollout • Web site development • Integrated marketing Media analysis/reporting Turnkey Service, Total Project Management

Hawthorne’s Major Clients l l l l l AARP Aero Products Aladdin Industries Alps Electric Apple Computer Applica AT&T Bank of America Black and Decker Bose Braun Christian Children’s Fund Clorox The Disney Channel Fantom Technologies Ginsu Helen of Troy Kitchen Art Mantis l l l l l O-Cedar Mattel Toys Mercedes Benz Nissan Nikon Olympus Oreck Procter & Gamble Redken Laboratories Rotozip Tool Corp. Slim Fast Solutia Taylor-Made Time-Life Time Warner/Roadrunner U. S. Navy Video Professor Wagner Spray Tech Corp Warner Home Video