the creator of the Instagram account testifies

Julie Camille, an employee in the pub, experienced harassment and then a burnout. She hides behind the Instagram Balance Ton Agency and tells us exclusively about her approach.

"I'm thirty years old, I've been in the advertising business for ten years now and I'm … lean. I chose this industry because I thought I could change the world, or at least the vision that 'has the general public … That was my motivation at the beginning, a naive student look, at a time when advertising was not so ubiquitous – the illuminated signs all over the streets, the four cuts per program TV, announcements on YouTube, Insta, Facebook …

My first steps in the industry went rather well. It was a nice, sexy, like 99 Francs. I worked for big brands, I partied after work, colleagues were also friends … When you're young, it makes you dream. And even if you have crazy schedules, it's in a cool atmosphere, playing Nerf guns and throwing things out in the open space.

I became disillusioned after five years, witnessing a first case of gender-based harassment. In the middle of a meeting, a man who held a fairly senior position in the agency made a hyper misogynistic remark, about a colleague who had just left the room. I cannot repeat it, because the culprit would recognize me. Everyone heard it, nobody picked it up. On the contrary, the audience chuckled. I was a junior at the time, and I didn't dare say anything, but I came out of there stunned. I then wrote an email to the colleague in question, who was my age, to let her know. Suddenly, I found myself half courageous, half cowardly …

"If you piss off, your career is over"

This episode clicked. I started to pay more attention to the remarks of this boss, to his way of managing … His thing was to put in the closet those who were no longer in his good graces. Often women. On the contrary, he had an entourage of "darling" employees, especially men, to whom he gave the most important missions (the sexiest clients, the high-sounding competitions between agencies, etc.). I spent several years in this context, but I was more and more disgusted.
As time went by, the atmosphere in the office deteriorated. We saw people crying in the open space several times a week (and again, often women, who couldn't take the bullying anymore). Cases of burnout have multiplied. We all dreamed of a conventional break, but the agency had exceeded the quota. A pregnant woman on sick leave was refused hers …

You open your mouth, you close doors.

Human Resources did eventually get involved and an internal audit was initiated. By drawing lots, we were invited to come and testify in the basement of the company with a specialized organization, to express our feelings … These offices did not even have windows! For my part, I had started to stand up to my bosses on professional matters, little by little … I was offered a break. The box was afraid that I speak. But ban on revealing my departure conditions to my colleagues "so as not to be envious."… I followed up with another, smaller agency, thinking I would be treated better there. In fact, it was worse.

A job under surveillance

Very quickly, my new team made it clear to me that one of the bosses was recruiting "physically". Young and pretty women, who were then sexually harassed. Then I witnessed hallucinatory scenes, always from this man: screaming in public, mocking, threats … Girls, especially, were expensive. The guys were totally ignored. Another form of violence.

By different means, which I cannot detail for fear of reprisals, this same boss also monitored all our actions: the discussions during our breaks, our personal networks, if we had views on a position in another agency … We had the impression of being wiretapped, it had become a reason for jokes between us. Except in reality, we were terrified. And I'm not talking about the constant sexual harassment, a kind of gritty atmosphere that this guy started off, but that some of his close associates maintained.

I ended up asking for another conventional break, which is very common in the industry. It is an amicable, quick start, which suits the agencies, because they do not risk being dragged to the prudhommes, and the employees, who are very afraid of being toasted if they speak. The environment is very small, everything is known… How many times have I heard "I will burn you if you complain?" or "If you piss off, your career is over" ? Basically, you know if you open your mouth, you close doors.

"Psychologically, it's hard for me"

After these two experiences, which spanned several years, I had a big burnout. When I finally came back up, I went freelance, to be my own boss and not suffer from daily harassment. But I was missing economic stability. I wanted to go back to the agency, except that while waiting for the rumors that were circulating everywhere, I realized that we, employees of the advertising, had to be able to inform each other of what is going on internally. One morning, I got up and created the Balance ton Agency Instagram account.

I started by following the accounts of the boxes I heard rumors about. At that time, I had 700 subscriptions and 4 subscribers … No one wanted to follow me, for fear of being associated with my process. Then a woman wrote to me in DM to testify. She had been sexually assaulted. His story was very precise and crossed many noises. I published her story, and from there the testimonials started pouring in. Almost all the agencies were targeted. When several stories overlapped, I would post them, which resulted in even more information landing in my private messages. I went over 10,000 miles, then over 20,000 subscribers. Today, we are not far from 27,000.

Psychologically, it’s hard for me. I have had some very serious DM stories. Employees who talk about physical reactions, very concrete traumas, requiring lifelong medical monitoring. Bosses who behave in the open space as if they were at home, smoking, drinking, fiddling with… I went for an anonymized interview on Fun radio and after that, I received the testimony of a schoolgirl who told me said "What do you do when boys put their hands on our asses? I spoke to my CPE but he doesn't believe me"

At the moment, I sleep little, I spend my days on my phone, impossible to cut. What drives me is absolutely not revenge, contrary to what people say who take offense at form more than substance. It is the urge to change this system. Two weeks ago, Julien Casiro, founder of the Braaxe agency, was laid off and two independent investigations were launched. Today (October 14, Editor's note), it was Laurent Habib, founder of the Babel agency and elected to the Medef Executive Council, who had to resign from his post as president of the Association of Communication Consulting Agencies. This union claims on its site "act against sexual or moral harassment in an agency". Except that it took more than two weeks to react to the thirty testimonies against Mr. Habib, and that its members are saying today "unanimously regret" his departure… Ironic, for the best of communicators!
For me, this is proof that the agencies do not want to protect us. And that we are obliged to do justice to ourselves.

Are you a victim or witness of violence in the advertising sector? Balance ton Agency invites you to contact Les Lionnes, a dedicated association (not linked to the @bta account).

You have been the victim of gender-based or sexual violence and you wish to testify. Send us an email to: [email protected]

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Video by Juliette Le Peillet