Cannes Lions Honours Mattel's Ynon Kreiz As Entertainment Person Of The Year

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will honor Mattel's Chairman and CEO, Ynon Kreiz as Entertainment Person of the Year for his contribution to producing compelling and meaningful content in the entertainment industry.

About the award, Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS said, “We are delighted to be honouring Ynon and recognising 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.”

He spearheaded a multi-year transformation strategy that positioned Mattel as an IP-driven, high-performing toy company. During his tenure, Mattel Films confirmed 16 motion pictures in active development with major studio partners. Its debut film, 'Barbie' became a cultural phenomenon, achieving the highest global box office in 2023 and ranking as the 14th highest-grossing movie of all time. The movie received eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Commenting on the award, Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mattel, said: “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 honour to be recognised by the prestigious Cannes Lions, and to share this with the global team at Mattel whose passion fosters our creativity, every day.”

Mattel's entertainment portfolio is expanding to include television, consumer products, digital games, live events and experiences, publishing and music.

Kreiz will present a keynote seminar on Friday, June 21 and will receive the award later that evening at the Cannes Lions Awards Show.

Reema Bhaduri

BW Reporters The author is the Editorial Lead at BW Businessworld. Majorly writes on marketing, advertising, experiential marketing and retail. She closely looks upon the vertical of BW Marketing World and BW Retail World.