The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has awarded Ynon Kreiz, chairman and chief executive officer, Mattel, as the ‘Entertainment Person of the Year’. 

Kreiz will be presented the award on 21 June at the awards show. 

Presented in recognition of the vital role that entertainment plays in the marketing and communications landscape, the award celebrates the creativity that inspires others to produce truly compelling, meaningful, and entertaining content.

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.”

Kreiz added, “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.”