The strike’s over. You can now work for BBH.
***Please note that the information below provides solely historical information about the campaign.***
The ad agency BBH has been signed to the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts for almost 20 years. They now claim our union agreement doesn’t apply to them. This means BBH is trying to abandon its responsibility to:
- always shoot union commercials
- provide fair pay and residuals
- contribute to your pension and health benefits
- guarantee your safety on set
- commit to the responsible and respectful use of your image, voice and performance
As SAG-AFTRA members, we must stand together in defense of our contracts, our rights and our ability to build a sustainable career.
SAG-AFTRA’s greatest power is the solidarity of our members.
Breaking Down BBH
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Bartle Bogle Hegarty LLC (BBH) is a global advertising agency owned by Publicis Groupe. BBH has U.S. offices in New York and Los Angeles. They’ve been signed to our union Commercials Contracts since 1999.
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When a company signs a collective bargaining agreement, they promise they’ll accept the obligations of that contract. They can’t just say “Hey, we changed our mind. We’re just going to ignore the union and its contract.” That’s what BBH did. They’ve been shooting non-union commercials in violation of their contract with SAG-AFTRA. This is about protecting our members.
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SAG-AFTRA will use every tool at our disposal to bring BBH back into compliance with our contract. 1. NLRB - We’ve filed a charge at the National Labor Relations Board stating that BBH violated labor law. The NLRB determined our charge had merit. The case now proceeds to a hearing. 2. Strike - SAG-AFTRA’s greatest power is our members. You. Join our activist list at sagaftra.org/strikebbh and keep your eyes open for emails about upcoming strike activities.
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- BBH is attempting to abandon their contractual and ethical responsibility to pay actors fairly. This action is an aggressive attack on professional performers’ ability to earn a living, sustain a career and provide healthcare for their families. If agencies like BBH are allowed to just walk away from their commitment, our contracts, union, and pension and health plans will all be impacted.
- SAG-AFTRA members, supporters, political leaders and sister unions are uniting to let BBH and the entire advertising industry know that we stand shoulder to shoulder, and we will not back down. YOU are crucial to the success of our strike against BBH. We need all our members to show up, speak up, and stand up against BBH and their destructive action.
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No. We are now on strike against BBH. Members must stand together and refuse all work for the company. Accepting work during the BBH strike is a serious violation of members’ responsibility to one another and to SAG-AFTRA, and can result in suspension, fines or expulsion.
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Yes. This strike is ONLY against BBH. You can work on commercials for any other company signed to the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts.
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If you discover BBH is involved with a commercial covered by another signatory, please inform us as soon as possible at adsgounion@sagaftra.org. Do not accept work under these circumstances without first speaking to the union.
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No. Publicis Groupe is a multinational communications and marketing company that owns several ad agencies, including BBH. Some of those agencies are signed to the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts (e.g. Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett and some of the Publicis Agencies), and some are not (e.g. Digitas, Moxie, etc.). You may continue to work for any other Publicis Groupe ad agency signed to the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts during the strike against BBH. Our dispute is only with BBH.
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Any existing work performed for BBH prior to the strike is not impacted. You may continue to accept residual payments. If you believe you are not being paid appropriately, you can file a claim with the union.
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No. During the strike, members may not renew or reinstate any previously produced BBH commercial. Members must notify their talent agents that their BBH commercials may not be used beyond the maximum period of use and that they refuse to allow reinstatement of any BBH commercial.
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If you have agreed to non-covered work such as print, you may honor existing commitments at the time the strike was called to do this non-covered work.
Stay In The Loop
Get the latest strike info and find out how to take action.
Watch This Special Message
SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris provides an update on the success of the #StrikeBBH campaign.
To watch more #StrikeBBH videos
Members In Action
Front, from left, SAG-AFTRA Vice President, Los Angeles Clyde Kusatsu, National Executive Director David White, President Gabrielle Carteris, Secretary-Treasurer and L.A. Local President Jane Austin, and L.A. Local Board member Patrick Fabian lead the #StrikeBBH march from SAG-AFTRA Plaza to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum Jan. 23, 2019. (Photo: Maury Phillips/SAG-AFTRA)
Close to 1,000 SAG-AFTRA members, leaders and union allies marched from SAG-AFTRA Plaza to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum Jan. 23, 2019 as part of the #StrikeBBH campaign, which calls for fair wages, benefits and safe sets for commercials performers. (Photo: Maury Phillips/SAG-AFTRA)
From left, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White; L.A. Local Board member Patrick Fabian; IATSE Second International Vice President Thomas Davis; AFM Local 47 President John Acosta; SAG-AFTRA Vice President, Los Angeles Clyde Kusatsu; Teamsters Local 399 Business Agent Ed Duffy; SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris; SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer and L.A. Local President Jane Austin; and Teamsters Local 399 Secretary-Treasurer Steve Dayan , pose at SAG-AFTRA Plaza before the #StrikeBBH march and rally at La Brea Tar Pits and Museum Jan. 23, 2019. (Photo: SAG-AFTRA)
During the Jan. 23 #StrikeBBH rally, SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris told a crowd of close to 1,000 members, leaders and union allies that ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, Inc. is attempting to illegally abandon the union’s commercials contracts and will be held accountable. (Photo: Maury Phillips/SAG-AFTRA)
Nearly 1,000 members and allies came out Jan. 23, 2019 for a #StrikeBBH rally. (Photo: SAG-AFTRA)
SAG-AFTRA’s Commercials Contracts ensure that members can sustain a career as performers. Members deserve a fair contract! #StrikeBBH (Photo: SAG-AFTRA)
Members gathered in the James Cagney Boardroom at SAG-AFTRA Plaza Jan. 23, 2019 to spell out #StrikeBBH ahead of the march and rally. (Photo: SAG-AFTRA)
Close to 1,000 SAG-AFTRA members and allies marched from SAG-AFTRA Plaza in Los Angeles and rallied at the La Brea Tar Pits Jan. 23, 2018 to #StrikeBBH. (Photo: Maury Phillips/SAG-AFTRA)
SAG-AFTRA members came loud and proud to the #StrikeBBH rally at the La Brea Tar Pits, Jan. 23, 2019. (Photo: Maury Phillips/SAG-AFTRA)
“[BBH] knows that to tell their clients’ stories, they need storytellers—they need SAG-AFTRA members. They need you.” – National Executive Director David White (Photo: Maury Phillips/SAG-AFTRA)
Honoring our contracts ensure fair wages and safe working conditions. #StrikeBBH (Photo: Maury Phillips/SAG-AFTRA)
SAG-AFTRA members from across the country are united in the #StrikeBBH campaign. (Photo: Maury Phillips/SAG-AFTRA)
Members show their support for the #StrikeBBH march and rally Jan. 23, 2019 with their #AdsGoUnions T-shirts. (Photo: SAG-AFTRA)
“BBH is doing nothing less than trying to take the food out of my kids’ mouths, take the furniture out of my house and dismantle the house that I live in. Why? Because they don’t want to pay a fair wage.” – Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul), Los Angeles Local board member (Photo: Maury Phillips/SAG-AFTRA)
Supporters of all ages joined SAG-AFTRA members and allies at the #StrikeBBH rally on Jan. 23, 2019.
John Acosta (center), president of American Federation of Musicians 47 (center) with local member musicians who provided a drumline for the SAG-AFTRA #StrikeBBH march and rally on Jan. 23, 2019.
News Headlines
SHOOT: SAG-AFTRA Strike Against BBH Ends After Sides Reach Agreement
July 20, 2019 - A 10-month strike by SAG-AFTRA against BBH in the U.S. is coming to an end after the advertising agency agreed to sign the union’s new Commercials Contracts. BBH will produce all its commercials under these contracts, providing union wages and pension and health contributions to performers. As such, SAG-AFTRA members will be able to accept work on the ad shop’s productions.
Deadline: SAG-AFTRA Picket’s BBH’s Non-Union Ad Shoot
Mar. 1, 2019 - The picketing is just the latest action against BBH by the union, which has included mass rallies outside the ad agencies offices, the filing of unfair labor practices charges, and shaming – all of which is part of SAG-AFTRA’s Ads Go Union campaign to organize non-union productions.
Deadline: As SAG-AFTRA & Ad Industry Begin Contract Talks, Union Urges Biz To “Do The Right Thing”
Feb. 20, 2019 - As SAG-AFTRA sits down today for the first day of bargaining with the ad industry for a new commercials contract, the union has taken out a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal urging advertisers and ad agencies “to do the right thing. When you make an ad, make it union.”
The Hollywood Reporter: Nearly 1,000 Denounce Ad Agency BBH at SAG-AFTRA Rally: "Shame on You"
Jan. 23, 2019 - Representatives of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) attended as well, as did Rusty Hicks, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
Variety: SAG-AFTRA Rally Against Ad Agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty Draws Nearly 1,000
Jan. 23, 2019 - SAG-AFTRA is keeping up the pressure on the advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty BBH), holding a spirited mid-day rally at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.
Backstage: SAG-AFTRA Ramps Up Pressure on Ad Agencies
Dec. 27, 2018 - The union has kicked up the intensity of its efforts around nonunionized advertising shoots ahead of negotiations in February 2019. In their Ads Go Union campaign, the labor organization—representing roughly 160,000 members nationwide—has been rolling out a bicoastal drive to raise awareness on nonunion work for commercials.
Variety: Bryan Cranston Backs SAG-AFTRA Ads Go Union Campaign
Dec. 5, 2018 - SAG-AFTRA has brought on Bryan Cranston to back its “Ads Go Union” campaign to persuade advertisers to stop using non-union actors.
Ad Age: Watch the SAG-AFTRA Rally Outside BBH in Los Angeles
Sept. 27, 2018 - On Thursday morning, hundreds of SAG-AFTRA actors rallied outside BBH's office on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.