Tom Rutter and Alec Braun to lead live events agency for The&Partnership

The&Partnership has expanded its agency portfolio with the launch of a new brand experience agency, Muster.

The WPP-backed agency group has brought in Tom Rutter and Alec Braun, formerly joint managing directors at Engine’s Slice, to help it launch an integrated live events agency “aimed at bringing brands and people together through unmissable experiences”.

Braun, who will take the role of co-founder and creative director, says Muster’s mission is “to redefine the industry by delivering truly memorable experiences not only for those that are there but also those that aren’t.” The agency will work with specialists within The&Partnership’s cross-discipline group to integrate live events with the other marketing channels, from advertising and digital engagement to influencer marketing and PR.

“Creating unmissable experiences is as much about nurturing a want to be there as it is about bringing together remote audiences. This is the driving force behind our shared ambition with The&Partnership to reimagine the industry and redefine live events”, said Braun.

Tom Rutter, co-founder and managing director at Muster, said: “The&Partnership has been making waves with its progressive new agency models and fast growth. We wanted to be part of that, and couldn’t be more excited to make it a reality with Muster. As brand experiences, audience participation and user-generated content continue to grow in influence, we’re delighted to be working with an agency group that can help us supercharge the experiences we create – harnessing their media and digital engagement nous to reach massive audiences both on and offline.”

The&Partnership founder Johnny Hornby said: “In the modern marketing landscape, brands need to ‘do’, not just ‘say’ – the success of campaigns like our Lexus Hoverboard Project are testament to that. And in 2017, as live video gains traction, that need is only going to get bigger. Tom and Alec are consummate events experts with an incredible portfolio of work and great business acumen as well as creative prowess, and we’re delighted to be working with them to launch Muster.”

The&Partnership houses 15 agencies spanning four continents, with specialisms including creative, design, media planning and buying, content, PR, influencer marketing, data analytics and CRM, as well as new-model agency offerings for clients including News UK, The Wall Street Journal, TalkTalk, TELUS and Toyota.