Houser & Hennessee

What Houser & Hennessee does

Houser & Hennessee is a privately held, full-service advertising agency founded in 1986 in Birch Run, Michigan, operating as Houser & Hennessee Advertising Corporation. The firm provides end-to-end creative, media, and production services spanning television, radio, jingles, billboards, print, signage, website design, social media, and programmatic advertising. Its primary customer base is automotive dealers and dealer marketing groups, notably Buick Motor Division and a network of 500+ independent auto dealers across 14 states, supplemented by enterprise relationships in convenience retail (7-Eleven, 15-year relationship), manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, food service, and entertainment. The agency operates primarily through direct enterprise sales and referrals.

The agency's underlying technology stack is built around in-house production assets that predate industry norms: agency-owned broadcast cameras (since 1986), the first Media100 digital television editing system in Michigan (1996), large-format printing facilities, recording studios for in-house jingle production (since 1992), and database-driven website development with inventory management and e-commerce capabilities (200+ websites built). This production infrastructure compresses TV commercial turnaround from an industry-standard 7-10 days to 7-10 hours and underpins the agency's positioning as a one-stop ad shop with full-compass capabilities.

Revenue is generated through professional services fees across advertising, production, and digital services, supplemented by transaction-based co-op advertising management for major corporations including GM, Goodyear, Sprint, Ford, Chrysler, and others. The firm has placed over $100 million in advertising across nearly 20 states over its 40-year history. Ownership remains with the founding partners and their families following founder Cliff Houser's death in May 2022, with CEO Larry Hennessee overseeing operations alongside next-generation team members Ian Hennessee and Nick Fulmer. No external institutional investment or parent company is indicated.

Name

Houser & Hennessee

Legal name

Houser & Hennessee Advertising Corporation

Website

https://houserhennessee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Houser & Hennessee is a privately held, full-service advertising agency founded in 1986 in Birch Run, Michigan, serving automotive dealer groups (500+ dealers across 14 states), 7-Eleven, manufacturers, healthcare, financial services, and retailers with in-house TV, radio, jingle, print, signage, and web production capabilities and co-op advertising management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Birch Run

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Services and Media Buying: Full-service advertising agency providing strategic planning, marketing, and media placement across TV, cable, radio, billboards, direct mail, internet, social media, and signage. Generates revenue through service fees and media buying commissions.
2. Video and Production Services: In-house video production, radio production, jingle creation, and print/graphics production. 300 unique commercials produced annually with 24/7 production access.
3. Web Design and Digital Services: Website development, hosting, e-commerce support, and social media marketing services.
4. Co-op Advertising Management: Expert management of co-op advertising dollars from major corporations including GM, Goodyear, Sprint, Ford, Chrysler, and others. Handles submission of affidavits, invoicing, and assures maximum co-op reimbursement.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Houser & Hennessee is a full-service advertising agency providing integrated marketing and advertising services across TV, radio, billboards, print, signage, web video, websites, jingles, and programmatic digital advertising. The agency offers complete in-house production capabilities including HD video production, jingle music, large-format printing, and graphic design, serving clients in automotive, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, food service, financial services, and convenience store sectors.

Product overview

Houser & Hennessee is a full-service advertising agency offering a comprehensive, integrated suite of marketing and advertising services. The company's portfolio spans traditional media (TV, Radio, Billboards, Print, Signage) alongside digital services (Websites, Social Media, Programmatic Advertising, Video). The agency positions itself as a one-stop ad shop with complete in-house production capabilities, including original music/jingle production, HD video production, graphic design, and large-format printing. The core offering combines strategic marketing planning with execution across multiple advertising channels, serving clients in automotive, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, food service, entertainment, financial services, and transportation sectors. The agency has been in operation since 1986 and has placed over $100 million in advertising across nearly 20 states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marketing Services Strategic marketing planning and consulting to help companies develop marketing strategies worthy of advertising investment.
• Television Advertising HD video production and TV commercial creation. The agency was first to market with agency-owned broadcast cameras in 1986 and leads in digital HD video production, producing approximately 300 unique commercials per year.
• Web Video Long-form video production for internet marketing, including two to twenty minute videos for websites such as YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook.
• Radio Advertising Broadcast radio advertising including both traditional on-air and internet radio platforms such as Pandora, covering the most powerful mobile entertainment media.
• Jingle Production In-house original music and jingle production. H&H brought jingle production in-house in 1992 for their network of over 500 Buick dealers, with original music production setting them apart from most other agencies.
• Billboard Advertising High-resolution color billboard graphics for expressways and state highways, creating clear and concise sales messages.
• Website Design & Development Web design and development with over 20 years of experience building over 200 websites including shopping carts, automotive inventory management, and specialty tools.
• Print & Graphics In-house graphic design combined with large format printing capabilities for faster turnarounds, lower costs, and better quality control. Services include brochures, wall murals, business cards, letterhead, direct mail, and catalogs.
• Logo Design Logo and brand identity design services, creating visual promises for brands across companies and products.
• Signage Production Large and small format signage production using proprietary systems developed over 15 years serving 7-Eleven. Includes ultra high resolution large-format printing for convenience stores, vinyl banners, and table tents.
• Programmatic Advertising Micro-targeted programmatic ad purchases with deep understanding and execution of programmatic buying.
• Social Media Marketing Online marketing using the latest strategies in social media to market products and services.
• Co-op Advertising Programs Expert assistance with co-op advertising dollars from major corporations including GM, Goodyear, Sprint, Fox Network, and automotive manufacturers like Ford, Chrysler, Subaru, Honda, and others.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ unique commercials produced annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Campbell Ewald: Detroit-area advertising agency with deep automotive heritage (Chevrolet, GM). Highly comparable as a Michigan-based full-service agency historically serving OEM dealer networks with creative, media, and digital capabilities.
• Doner (DonerSchultz): Michigan-based independent advertising agency with strong automotive and retail client roster. Direct peer as a full-service Midwest agency offering creative, media, and digital services.
• Carmichael Lynch: Minneapolis-based independent full-service advertising agency. Comparable as a mid-size independent agency offering integrated creative, media, and digital services to enterprise clients.
• MARC USA: Mid-size independent full-service advertising agency headquartered in Pittsburgh. Comparable as a similarly scaled regional full-service agency with integrated creative, media, and digital offerings.
• Team One: Full-service advertising agency known for automotive and luxury work. Comparable as a similarly sized creative agency serving enterprise clients across broadcast, digital, and experiential channels.

Emerging players

• LotLinx: Automotive marketing platform specializing in digital ad targeting for dealerships. Comparable as an emerging automotive-marketing specialist overlapping H&H's dealer customer base with a digital-first approach.
• Scorpion: Full-service digital marketing agency serving small and mid-market businesses including home services and professional sectors. Comparable as a full-service agency targeting similar mid-market segments with digital-forward offerings.
• Pure Cars: Automotive marketing technology platform serving dealers with digital advertising and analytics. Comparable as an automotive-dealer-focused marketing vendor, though more digital/performance-oriented than H&H's broadcast heritage.

Broad incumbents

• Dealer.com (Cox Automotive): Automotive digital marketing platform within Cox Automotive providing websites, SEO, and advertising solutions for dealerships. Comparable as an automotive marketing vendor serving the same dealer customer base with broader scale.
• TMP Worldwide / The Marketing Arm: Omnicom-owned agency specializing in promotional, loyalty, and experiential marketing. Comparable as a large-scale agency offering promotional and brand activation services overlapping H&H's signage and event-promotion work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HouserHennessee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Houser & Hennessee