Scale & Scope

In Penella’s words, “We see ourselves as an entertainment catalog. We offer gifts that complement the videos we offer.”

Unlike most video catalogs, which can carry thousands of titles, Acorn doesn’t serve the mass market. Rather, it focuses on more mature customers, public television watchers and the gifts that might appeal to them, including war memorabilia, handcrafted apparel and stately home décor. This strategy has worked, Acorn executives say, because the customers initially attracted to the catalog as video buyers often find themselves drawn to the gift items, and vice versa.