Mattel appoints Jamie Cygielman, veteran marketing executive and former CMO of Iconix Brand Group, as senior vice-president and general manager of American Girl. Cygielman will lead the American Girl brand across its global consumer base through toys, content and experiences and she will be responsible for brand and product strategy. Cygielman will report to Richard Dickson, Mattel’s president and chief operating officer.
“Jamie is a brilliant marketer and an outstanding leader who has developed, managed and grown well-known, global consumer businesses in fashion, beauty, entertainment and toys,” said Dickson. “Jamie has deep customer insight, a strong track record of driving effective business turnarounds, and deep expertise in experiential marketing, all of which make her uniquely suited to recapture the momentum and maximize the full potential of American Girl as we continue to transform Mattel into an IP-driven, high-performing toy company.”
“American Girl is a beloved brand whose legacy of inspiring girls to develop a strong sense of character through creative play and imagination is more relevant than ever,” said Cygielman. “I look forward to partnering with Richard and the entire team to unlock the full potential of this storied brand.”
Cygielman brings 30 years of experience leading innovation, marketing and business development for iconic brands including Revlon, The Radio City Rockettes, Jones New York, Thomas & Friends and Barbie. In her most recent role as CMO for Iconix Brand Group’s portfolio of fashion and lifestyle brands, Jamie drove industry-leading marketing campaigns, while leading the digital transformation for the organization.
While American Girl is proving to be a challenge in Mattel’s current portfolio of brands—with net sales in the American Girl segment down 32 percent in Q1 2019—Cygielman is no stranger to helping turn around a toy brand. Prior to her role at Iconix Brand Group, Cygielman was the general manager of Madame Alexander, where she successfully led the turnaround effort to reclaim the doll brand’s premium position, cultural relevance and profitability.
Before this, Cygielman held senior level marketing and business development positions at The Jones Group, Inc. as well as Madison Square Garden, Inc. and Radio City Music Hall, where she developed long-term strategies and re-launched heritage brands to new audiences. Earlier in her career, as general manager at HIT Entertainment, Cygielman led Thomas & Friends to the status as the No. 1 pre-school brand, through content-led tentpole programs, retail expansion and experiential partnerships. Prior to this, Cygielman served as global vice-president of marketing for Barbie.