Astroten – named after a psychology experiment about the dangerous results of an uncritical acceptance of authority – will specialise in helping clients apply behavioural science to their marketing.

Shotton (pictured) has been running the business part-time until now and has worked with clients including O2, The Week, GoCompare, Brewdog and the Co-op. He has also worked on briefs with creative agencies, such as BBH, Mother and Lucky Generals.

Shotton who is also author of the book The Choice Factory said: "If you're trying to get consumers to switch from a competitor, pay a premium or buy more regularly, then you're trying to change behaviour. So why wouldn't you draw on behavioural science – the study of what makes for the most effective behaviour change? Astroten aims to make it simple for brands and agencies to apply behavioural science to their challenges."

Shotton has been at Manning Gottlieb OMD for the past two and a half years and before that was at ZenithOptimedia for more than 12 years, latterly as head of insight.