Hooked on Phonics

• Client: Gateway Educational
• Product: Hooked on Phonics Reading program
• Price Point: $199.95
• Objectives: Lead Generation Prior to the original infomercial in 1990, Gateway Educational Products was a $20 million a year marketing company using direct response radio advertising exclusively.

A year after airing the infomercial, revenues quadrupled to approximately $100 million. Gateway has sold more than one million units of the Hooked On Phonics program and was one of the nation’s top 200 advertisers. The success of the Hooked On Phonics infomercial is due, in large part, to the down-home Norman Rockwell approach that Script to Screen used in this production.

Script to Screen produced six direct response television spots for Hooked On Phonics, in addition to the infomercial.

The infomercial won the 1992 NIMA Best Director Award, as well as the 1992 Silver Award at the New York Festivals.

• Grew to No. 1 marketshare within product category
• Grew from approximately $20m to approximately $100m in annual sales in one year
• Multiple award-winning infomercial