What's old is new again

P&H Creative Group, founded in San Francisco in 1921, is the new kid in town

March 8, 2006

By DANE GOLDEN
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF

What has changed in advertising over the last 85 years?

Just about everything, says Bruce Hettema, president of P&H Creative Group. He moved his agency, founded in San Francisco in 1921, to Petaluma a couple of years ago.

"It's an ever-changing industry," Hettema said. "You have to stay on top of the tide of change."

When he started with the firm 20 years ago, they were still doing typesetting, paste-ups and used old stat cameras. Now essentially all work is done digitally, and the company has stayed current by adding Web design, banner ad and search engine advertising services. Hettema said that what used to take two weeks when he took up his profession is now turned around to the client almost immediately.

"Now you can do everything with a computer and set up a PDF, shoot it out to them, and it looks pretty much like a finished piece. They've just come to expect that the turnaround time is much less."

Although the institutional memory of the organization is helpful, he said, it's the modern company that provides its value to clients on a day-to-day basis.

"I think it's our body of work, it's our creative," he said. "We work across an entire spectrum as far as the design and the needs of clients, so when you look at our work, you see a whole spectrum of styles, and yet they're all meeting the particular needs of that client."

The Petaluma headquarters is the latest evolution for a company that has changed along with the Bay Area. The company, founded as Patterson and Sullivan in San Francisco in 1921, changed names a few times along the way, and moved to Corte Madera in 1980. Hettema bought the company in 1993.

Over the agency's 85 years, clients have included Chevy, Southern Pacific, Gallo and Dole. Hettema has some of the original sketchbooks and magazine ads, and sometimes gets a kick out of finding some of the old ads on eBay.

But he's not resting on the company's long reputation. The industry is just too competitive. He's continuing to build his North Bay clientele, with companies like Simons & Brecht, Bertotti Landscaping, Century 21, Lady Luck Wines and Buckeye Nursery. Other clients include California Restaurant Association, California Farm Bureau and State Fund, California's largest worker's compensation company and a client for more than 40 years.

Hettema sees a lot of potential for growth in Petaluma, as he can provide what local companies need closer to home.

"When they're looking of the kind of services we provide -- advertising, collateral materials, corporate identity, they don't necessarily think, 'I'm going to find a firm in Petaluma that will provide that service.'"

The company's services include packaging, logos and identity systems, catalogs, direct mail and print advertising.

Hettema is enjoying Petaluma greatly, including his Foundry Wharf location.

"I love the town," he said. "I love the energy and everything that's going on these days."

(Contact Dane Golden at dgolden@arguscourier.com)

P&H CREATIVE GROUP

President: Bruce Hettema

Founded: 1921

In Petaluma since: June 2004

Privately held

Employees: 5

Revenue: $1.3 million

Address: 101 H St., Suite H

Phone: 769-2211

Web: www.phcreative.com

PETALUMA BUSINESSPERSON PROFILE: BRUCE HETTEMA

P&H Creative Group president Bruce Hettema moved his firm to Petaluma in 2004. He has lived in Rohnert Park for 19 years, and is married to Debra Hettema, who is a first grade teacher here in Petaluma at Dunham Elementary. They have three kids.

Hettema received his bachelor's degree in fine arts from the Academy of Art in San Francisco. He loves Petaluma's ambiance, energy and charm. In his spare time, he plays golf and volleyball and creates mosaics. He can be spotted picking up his lunch at Traxx and his coffee at Petaluma Coffee Cafe.