Changing 'face' of propane finds fans among marketers: propane has a new face, and it isn't Hank Hill's.

Instead of the coarsely drawn adult cartoon of a bespectacled, beleaguered, paunchy Texan propane retailer, this "face" of the propane industry has the strength of "Mr. Clean" and apple-pie appeal.

Aptly known as "Propane," this Energy Guy, who first entered the advertising landscape in 2004 in a series of humorous television commercials and print ads pairing him with Electricity, has helped to transform the image of the propane industry. Where propane might once have seemed low-brow and outside the mainstream, the Energy Guys campaign is being credited with raising public awareness about the fuel and setting a new, more professional standard for the industry.

It wasn't long ago that propane retailers were on their own when it came to marketing. Many smaller retailers lacked professional experience in planning their advertisements and didn't know whom to ask for advice. Some larger retailers had a communications specialist on staff, but lacked the public awareness.

Today, with the help of the Propane Education & Research Council's consumer education campaign, retailers can simply add their own information to nationally produced ads to have …