Timothy Hawthorne 70 connections

For 22 years, Tim Hawthorne has been a major architect and pioneer in the DRTV industry, with an unsurpassed reputation for leadership, vision and integrity.

Tim’s path to advertising began in Africa in 1970. In Ethiopia, while teaching sciences to secondary school kids, Tim began shooting photos of the amazing people and countryside of East Africa. After graduating in psychology from Harvard in 1973, Tim returned to his hometown of Minneapolis and was hired as a Production Assistant for the CBS affiliate’s documentary unit, nationally renowned for winning prestigious awards such as the Peabody and Columbia Dupont. While there, working his way up to Cinematographer/Editor, then Producer/Writer/Director, Tim learned the documentary fundamentals of how to tell a compelling story in long form.

After producing and directing at the NBC affiliate in Philadelphia, Tim was invited to join the Directors Guild of America in 1980. In 1982 he moved to Los Angeles and started his own production company, producing, directing and writing for such early network “reality” programs as “Real People” and “That’s Incredible.”

In October 1984, the modern era of Infomercials had just been born. Tim was invited to the small Iowa town of Fairfield to executive produce one of the first Long Form Infomercials of the modern era, an Infomercial that would go on to generate $60 million in revenues in just 15 months. During this time Tim oversaw the company’s growth from 25 to 525 staff, implemented the first Long Form media computer analysis system in the industry, mentored many of the DRTV industry’s current success stories and developed multiple Infomercial creative formulas, standards and techniques.

Deciding to implement his own vision, Tim founded the first Infomercial advertising agency in June 1986 -- hawthorne direct inc. Tim had a mission: to make Long Form DRTV a part of every major advertiser’s Brand marketing mix. Now, 20 years later, the DRTV industry is a $150 billion business, with Fortune 500 companies as diverse as GM, P&G and Microsoft using this compelling, accountable marketing strategy. And hawthorne direct has grown to become one of the premiere companies for full-service DRTV advertising, with 75 staff members, offices in a half dozen cities, over $135 million in billings and clients such as the U.S. Navy, Time-Life, Nissan, Oreck, Lawn-Boy, Bose, Wagner, Nikon, Bosch, Evinrude, and many other Brand Names and entrepreneurs alike.

Along the way, Tim Hawthorne cofounded the Electronic Retailing Association, delivered enthusiastic speeches about DRTV in a dozen countries world wide, guest lectured at Princeton University, wrote the definitive textbook on Long Form DRTV and was named one of the “25 Most Influential People in DRTV” and USA Today’s Midwest “Entrepreneur of the Year.” Published author, entrepreneur and sought-after speaker, Hawthorne is unequivocally a distinguished pioneer of the DRTV industry, and a true humanitarian.

Every year five percent of hawthorne direct’s profits are given to local and national causes. Tim donated tens of thousands of dollars to hurricane Katrina relief efforts. And recently, he and wife, Laya, traveled around the world, producing a pro bono documentary for the non-profit volunteer organization, World Teach.

Without a doubt, Tim Hawthorne has set the gold standard for professionalism, intelligence, integrity and generosity in the DRTV industry. He’s a man with a pioneering spirit -- a true visionary who had the passion, courage and talent to help create and inspire an entire industry. Tim was honored with the prestigious "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA), September, 2006.