Private company

Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners

Logo: bssp.com3

Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (also known as BSSP) is an independent creative agency headquartered in Sausalito, California. They provide a variety of advertising and marketing services, including expertise in creative advertising, comms and media planning, data science and measurement, brand identity and design, and strategic brand consulting. They are one of the longest-standing independent agencies on the West Coast.2 It was founded in 1993.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1993Founded1

Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (also known as BSSP) is an independent creative agency headquartered in Sausalito, California. They provide a variety of advertising and marketing services, including expertise in creative advertising, comms and media planning, data science and measurement, brand identity and design, and strategic brand consulting. They are one of the longest-standing independent agencies on the West Coast.2

The story

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.

In 2003, BSSP acquired SF Interactive (SFI). In 2005, they launched Cleaver Content, an in-house studio that the agency uses 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 them for Volkswagen. In 2009, BSSP won a Gold Effie Award for their MINI Clubman advertising campaign.

BSSP worked with Priceline for over 9 years, and created the iconic Priceline Negotiator campaign and IP featuring William Shatner.

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 their automotive experience, the agency was soon after awarded the Mitsubishi advertising account.

In 2018, BSSP was named AdAge's Small Agency of the Year based on their accomplishments with clients including Mitsubishi, Blue Shield of California, and leading basketball videogame franchise NBA 2K.

Read the full text

BSSP has fostered a multi-year partnership with Blue Shield of California, creating notable campaigns for this brand.

The agency has supported consumer brands owned by Sovos Brands, including Rao's Homemade, Michael Angelo's, Noosa yoghurt, and Birchbenders.

The agency's 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.

From Wikipedia’s article on Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Board members and other officers (1)

Timeline

  1. 1993Founded Founded1

Funding

Where the company's money came from, by calendar year: private offerings filed with the SEC, federal grants, loans, contracts and other assistance from USAspending.gov, and PPP loans from the SBA. Each bar links to the records below.

Money received by year$4.2M 2020–2021
Money received by yearMoney received by year, 2020–2021: $4.2M in all. PPP loans $4.2M.$0$1M$2M$3M2020 · PPP loans: $2.2M20202021 · PPP loans: $2.0M2021
Figures by year
YearPPP loansTotal
2021$2.0M$2.0M
2020$2.2M$2.2M

PPP loans

Paycheck Protection Program loans of $150,000 and up, approved April 2020 to July 2021, from the SBA5. Matched to this company by name and state.

  1. Apr 27, 2020$2.2M PPP loan (first draw) from Bank of Marin5To BUTLER, SHINE, STERN & PARTNERS, LLC, Sausalito CA; $2.2M forgiven Jun 16, 2021
  2. Feb 12, 2021$2.0M PPP loan (second draw) from Bank of Marin5To BUTLER SHINE STERN & PARTNERS LLC, Sausalito CA; $2.0M forgiven Mar 10, 2022