AOL Hires Marshall Cohen for Brand Development

America Online Inc. named Marshall Cohen, president of entertainment and media research and consulting company Marshall Cohen Associates, as senior vice president, brand development.

He will report to President and Chief Operating Officer Bob Pittman.

Cohen, a cable and new media strategist who won a Clio Award in 1984 for his role in the development of the famed “I Want My MTV” campaign, will provide centralized consumer and competitive research and strategic counsel to AOL’s multiple brands, while also overseeing the creation of brand marketing and advertising programs.

Pittman said: “As he did at MTV, Nickelodeon and for the cable industry in general, he will spearhead the development of critical research and marketing tools that will allow us to penetrate further into the mass market, while also attracting niche audiences for our multiple interactive brands.”

Prior to forming his own company in 1992, Cohen spent 12 years at MTV Networks, most recently as executive vice president of research and strategic planning. He was a key member of the development team that launched MTV, VH1, and Nick at Nite and led the original development task force on HA! The TV Comedy Network. After the merger of HA! with HBO’s Comedy Channel, Cohen served on the board of directors responsible for the management of Comedy Central.