Kevin Harrington

Kevin Harrington basically invented the infomercial. Or at the very least, he’s the guy who figured out how to turn late-night TV into a product-selling machine. If you’ve ever seen an “As Seen on TV” product, you’ve seen his influence at work.

He started the As Seen on TV empire in 1985 and went on to launch or market some of the most iconic products in direct response television history. ShamWow, Slap Chop, the George Foreman Grill, Magic Bullet, OxiClean, the list goes on. He’s been involved with over 100 companies and has generated billions in product sales through TV and direct marketing.

He grew up in Cincinnati, went to the University of Cincinnati, and got into marketing early. But what made him different was that he saw the potential in using TV airtime during the hours nobody else wanted. He bought cheap late-night slots and ran product demonstrations, and people bought. A lot. That model became the foundation for an entire industry.

Harrington was one of the original sharks on Shark Tank when it premiered in 2009. He was on for the first two seasons and brought a very specific kind of expertise. He wasn’t a tech investor or a finance guy. He was the “can you sell this product to millions of people through a TV screen” guy. If you could demonstrate your product in two minutes and make someone reach for the phone, Kevin Harrington was your shark.

He’s also written several books on entrepreneurship and direct response marketing.

Worth knowing:

• Pioneered the As Seen on TV marketing model
• Original Shark Tank cast member (seasons 1-2)
• Launched or marketed products including ShamWow, George Foreman Grill, and OxiClean
• Founded or co-founded over 100 companies