Photo: CMN's National Project Manager Federico Cogo.
Meet the Team: A Conversation with CMN’s National Project Manager Federico Cogo
Federico Cogo is a natural at multitasking. In fact, there isn’t much the national project manager hasn’t seen or done since he joined the world of CMN boss Henry Cardenas almost a decade ago. Whether he’s orchestrating national concert tours, overseeing international soccer matches or touring with some of the biggest names in the Latin music industry, Cogo doesn’t seem to miss a beat. And the 29-year-old Argentina native wouldn’t have it any other way. “This job allows you to meet people from all walks of life,” he says. “As a social individual, I find it very interesting and rewarding to learn from others.”
Alternately guarded and garrulous, the University of Miami graduate has a penchant for hard work, diplomacy and structure, all of which have helped him stay grounded in the fast-paced and ever-changing world of live entertainment.
Born in Buenos Aires and raised in Miami, Cogo still recalls his first taste of show business – a 2001 concert featuring the late, great Spanish singer Rocio Durcal at Miami’s James L. Knight Center. “I knew how popular she was because my mom followed her music, but I was very nervous thinking about all of my responsibilities. I ended up learning so many things that same night. I was happy to have the first show under my belt.” Now with a practiced ease in event management, Cogo continues to thrive on the adrenaline that saw him get into the business in the first place.
Cogo recently took some time out to reflect on the art and evolution of the music promotion industry, CMN’s alliances with other promoters, and the importance of setting priorities.
CMN: How do you go about booking an artist for a show or a tour?
FC: Well, once a tour is announced, promoters will look into the markets and venues to analyze the potential success of a show. Once this is done, offers for these markets are sent to the agency. If the promoter wins the bid, you need put your pre-sale media campaign together, and that includes designing media plans, producing radio and TV spots, print ads and outdoor campaigns. You also have to set up the event with each venue. Once the event goes on sale, you start monitoring sales on a daily basis and working as much as possible with the media to promote the show up until the day of the event.
CMN: What is CMN’s relationship with other promoters such as Live Nation?
FC: They’re the leading general market, live entertainment promoters out there, and we have been fortunate to work with them to co-produce some of their major Latin shows. They have thousands of events each year -- dozens in a single day at times -- and they trust us to do what we do best, which is to promote the shows within the Hispanic community. It’s a win-win situation for all of us and it’s worked out very nicely.
CMN: CMN and Viva Entertainment have partnered up again to produce select shows. After years of working separately, how did this reunion come about?
FC: Yes, as you know Viva is based in Chicago and we do quite a bit of shows in this market each year. In a big city like Chicago, where there are so many things going on all the time, booking a show is not an easy feat. You are going to have a limited number of dates and venues from which to choose. There were times when [CMN and Viva] were scheduling major shows too close to each other, and this would hurt us both at the door. So both companies agreed to a joint effort to promote certain shows and that’s where we are now. We’re partnering for select shows, such as the upcoming Vicente Fernandez and Jaguares concerts, and really combining our resources for these shows.
CMN: What is the difference between producing a show indoors as opposed to outdoors? Do artists prefer one more than the other?
FC: I think each artist has a different approach in terms of performing at venues that are outdoors vs. indoors. Obviously, an outdoor concert at a sports stadium, such as a football stadium, for example, would mean a significantly larger crowd if the artist can pull that type of crowd. This also means that you have more tickets to sell [Laughing]! I can’t speak for the artists, but I’m sure artists enjoy both settings, as long as they have a great crowd. You are also taking a bigger risk outdoors, and obviously you hope that the weather cooperates.
CMN: We've seen more and more artists touring with other artists that are not necessarily of the same music genre. This has been the case recently with Marc Anthony and Alejandro Fernandez, Enrique Iglesias and Aventura, and Marco Antonio Solis and Pepe Aguilar, to name a few.
FC: Yes, we’ve seen this quite a bit in the industry, both in the Hispanic and general markets. I think it’s great for the business, as you are able to work with two or three great artists at the same time and for the fans it’s also pretty nice because they’ll have a good mix of music to enjoy throughout the night.
CMN: Is this a new trend and one of the reasons why ticket prices have escalated recently?
FC: Artist packages are a trend that is affecting both the general and Hispanic markets. People are demanding more for their ticket. However, these artist packages such as Joan and Pepe and Marco [Antonio Solis] and Juan Gabriel have proven to be successful for both the artists and fans alike.
CMN: Your job probably doesn’t get any easier when a show doesn’t start on time, and fans become uneasy. How do you handle these situations?
FC: Having a show delayed is not particularly good for anyone. Like you said, the fans become uneasy, and for the promoter and the venue, it only means a more expensive production bill. Unfortunately, these situations are beyond our control most of the time. The most common reason is due to an artist’s travel schedule. The last time this happened in Chicago, I believe it was in April and it involved a show with Joan Sebastian and Jenni Rivera. Joan’s flight was stuck somewhere in Texas due to inclement weather, so we were delayed by almost two hours. Fortunately, Jenni generously offered to be on stage for a longer period of time and that helped us get Joan to the venue safely. Luckily for us the crowd was very understanding. As an event manager, you just have to handle those situations as best you can and as smoothly as possible.
CMN: Who has been an influential person in your career and why?
FC: I would have to say my grandfather. As a young kid I always saw what a hard worker he was and the dedication and loyalty that he gave back to his company. This was the starting point for me, which I eventually came to see in my parents and current boss as well.
CMN: As an event and production manager, are you partial to a specific type of event or setting?
FC: This is a difficult one but if I had to choose one it would be sports. The crowds are usually larger than at concerts, and fans really get into it, which makes your job all the more worthwhile.
CMN: What advice would you give to aspiring event management professionals?
FC: This business is about following up. You never go home with a clean plate so it is important to be organized and set priorities.
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