Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners

Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (BSSP) is an independent creative agency headquartered in Sausalito, California. Founded in 1993, it is one of the longest-standing independent agencies on the West Coast of the United States. The agency provides a range of advertising and marketing services, including creative advertising, communications and media planning, data science and measurement, brand identity and design, and strategic brand consulting. BSSP was founded when John Butler and Mike Shine became the first creative team to leave Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to start their own agency; Greg Stern joined shortly afterward as Chief Executive Officer. Over the following decades the agency built a portfolio spanning automotive, consumer packaged goods, health insurance, sports media, and e-commerce, working with clients such as MINI Cooper, Mitsubishi, Priceline, Converse, Blue Shield of California, ESPN, Amazon Business, Constellation Brands, Sovos Brands (Rao's Homemade, Michael Angelo's, Noosa), and Topps. The agency describes its operating philosophy as "Outside-In," an approach that cultivates insights from outside the advertising industry and from the consumer's perspective in order to deliver outsized results for clients. BSSP has been recognized with industry awards including a Gold Effie for its MINI Clubman campaign, Adweek's Small Agency of the Decade for the 2000s, Ad Age's Small Agency of the Year in 2018, and Ad Age's 2025 Small Agency of the Year. BSSP remains independent and privately held. Its founders initiated a leadership succession plan, and Tracey Faux-Pattani now serves as Chief Executive Officer and Partner, with John Butler as Co-Chairman and Sinan Dagli as Chief Creative Officer.

Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners was founded in 1993 when John Butler and Mike Shine became the first creative team to leave Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to form their own agency. Greg Stern joined shortly thereafter as Chief Executive Officer. The agency established itself as one of the longest-standing independent agencies on the West Coast. In 2003, BSSP acquired SF Interactive (SFI), expanding its digital capabilities. In 2005, the agency launched Cleaver Content, an in-house studio used to shoot, edit, code, design, and produce all forms of content. As an advertising agency for Converse, BSSP created the award-winning "Brand Democracy" campaign, one of the first uses of consumer-generated content as advertising. In 2005, in a highly competitive agency review, BSSP won BMW's MINI Cooper account after Crispin, Porter + Bogusky dropped it for Volkswagen. In 2009, BSSP won a Gold Effie Award for its MINI Clubman advertising campaign. The agency worked with Priceline for over nine years, creating the iconic Priceline Negotiator campaign and intellectual property featuring William Shatner. BSSP was awarded Small Agency of the Decade by Adweek Media: Best of 2000s. In 2017, BSSP resigned the MINI account after an 11-year relationship. Leveraging its automotive experience, the agency was soon afterward awarded the Mitsubishi advertising account. In 2018, BSSP was named Ad Age's Small Agency of the Year based on its accomplishments with clients including Mitsubishi, Blue Shield of California, and the leading basketball videogame franchise NBA 2K. BSSP has fostered a multi-year partnership with Blue Shield of California, creating notable campaigns for the brand. The agency has also supported consumer brands owned by Sovos Brands, including Rao's Homemade, Michael Angelo's, Noosa yoghurt, and Birchbenders. Its founders are John Butler, previously president of the One Club, and Greg Stern, who served as Chairman of the 4As. Stern and Butler initiated a leadership succession plan, and CEO Tracey Pattani now leads the agency. In 2025, BSSP was named Ad Age's Small Agency of the Year.

• 2018

  Named Ad Age's Small Agency of the Year.

• 2017

  Resigned the MINI account after 11 years; awarded the Mitsubishi advertising account.

• 2009

  Won a Gold Effie Award for the MINI Clubman campaign.

• 2005

  Launched Cleaver Content in-house studio; won BMW's MINI Cooper account.

• 2003

  Acquired SF Interactive (SFI).

• 1993

  Founded by John Butler and Mike Shine after leaving Goodby, Silverstein & Partners; Greg Stern joins as CEO.

Independent, full-service creative agency delivering "Outside-In" thinking and outsized results for clients.

• Brand Democracy campaign for Converse

• Priceline Negotiator campaign featuring William Shatner

• MINI Clubman advertising campaign

• ESPN 'Sports Forever' campaign

• Amazon Business 'Buy Smarter. Dream Bigger.' campaign

• Rao's Homemade 'Greatness Can't Be Rushed' campaign

• Pillsbury holiday ads

• Kikkoman campaign

• Wild Planet campaign

• Small Fish campaign

• Resolution campaign

• Butler's Monster Museum

• ESPN Living with Bracketbrain

1. 1BSSPbssp.com
2. 2BSSP | Aboutbssp.com
3. 3Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
4. 4Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners - Wikidatawikidata.org