Cannes Lions Honours Mattel Chairman and CEO Ynon Kreiz with Entertainment Person of the Year Award

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced that it will recognize Mattel's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ynon Kreiz, as Entertainment Person of the Year. This prestigious award highlights the significant impact of entertainment on the marketing and communications landscape, celebrating creativity that inspires the production of compelling, meaningful, and entertaining content.

Ynon Kreiz has been pivotal in steering Mattel through a multi-year transformation strategy, re-establishing the company as an intellectual property (IP)-driven, high-performing toy manufacturer. Under his visionary leadership, Mattel Films has made significant strides, with 16 motion pictures in active development alongside major studio partners. Notably, the first of these films, "Barbie," became a cultural sensation, achieving the largest global box-office in 2023 and ranking as the 14th-highest grossing movie of all time. The "Barbie" movie's impact extended beyond box-office success, earning eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and winning the Oscar for Best Original Song.
Mattel's entertainment footprint continues to expand across various media, including television, consumer products, digital games, live events and experiences, publishing, and music. In 2023, Mattel marked its 30th consecutive year as the #1 toy company in the U.S., according to Circana, achieving its largest annual share gain on record.

Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, expressed the organization's admiration for Kreiz and Mattel's unwavering commitment to creativity in entertainment. Cook stated, "We are delighted to be honoring Ynon and recognizing Mattel for their continued commitment to creativity in entertainment. The strong leadership of Mattel has led to it becoming an innovative global toy and family entertainment company. By unlocking the potential of its core assets and IP, Mattel has strengthened the company's relevance and appeal of its iconic global portfolio. Through Barbie particularly, Ynon has opened the aperture of the brand, broadening its cultural resonance and commercial success."

Reflecting on the honor, Ynon Kreiz remarked, "At its core, Mattel is a creative company fueled by innovation and guided by our purpose. We are driven by the knowledge that the people who buy our products are more than consumers, they are fans with an emotional connection to our brands. It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the prestigious Cannes Lions, and to share this with the global team at Mattel whose passion fosters our creativity, every day."

Kreiz will deliver a keynote seminar on Friday, June 21, and will receive the award at that evening's Cannes Lions Awards Show, marking a significant moment in his and Mattel's journey towards sustained creative and commercial success.