Hard work wins the public’s interest. Mediacom’s Nick Cohen tells us why…

By Rosie Lavan

In the last in our series of interviews with members of The Pixel Pitch Jury, we speak to Nick Cohen, Managing Partner and UK Head of Mediacom Beyond Advertising – one of the world’s leading media agencies. He argues that creative visions must be grounded in realism, and explains how, when it comes to catching audience attention, a background in journalism has helped hone his instincts.

Power to the Pixel: What qualities will you be looking for in the projects you will be judging at The Pixel Market?

Nick Cohen: Strong, original concepts first and foremost, with particular emphasis on ideas that can truly be applied across a wide range of platforms and media. In addition, I think achieving the right balance between creative ambition and having an idea that is realisable is often overlooked at the pitch stage, so I’ll be looking for projects that manage to get that balance right.

PttP: What particular expertise and experience do you bring to The Pixel Pitch Jury?

NC: I’ve been working in cross-platform production for over 10 years, so hopefully I’ve picked up a few insights into what does and doesn’t work along the way.

PttP: Your work, both previously at the BBC and now at Mediacom, demands an intuitive understanding of audience expectations and behaviour. How have you developed this awareness, particularly as you have sought to engage audiences across different platforms and with different messages? Did your work as a journalist inform or help with this?

NC: I think having a grounding in journalism certainly helped me to appreciate how much work needs to go into getting the public interested in many subjects (even when it’s made to look simple). I also think working on digital products, because of the constant, real-time insight that gives you into user behaviour, is a good way to sharpen your instincts for what will really engage people. I always enjoy working with people that combine experience in both storytelling and digital user experience.

PttP: Can you share some thoughts about The Pixel Market and the prizes on offer there? What is the significance of events like these for producers?

NC: The chance to secure funding for a project is obviously always hugely significant for any producer, but I hope that The Pixel Market offers more than that: I really do think it’s one of the few places where producers who are fascinated by blurring the boundaries between different media get the chance to have their ideas nurtured by like-minded peers.

The Pixel Pitch takes place on the second day of Power to the Pixel’s Cross-Media Forum (16-19 October).
If you’d like to find out more please email us at info@powertothepixel.com or cut straight to the chase and buy a ticket here.