Founder and former owner of Patagonia is being recognized for his philanthropic contributions and commitment to environmentalism
Cannes Lions will honor the founder and former owner of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, as its Cannes LionHeart, the award given to a person who has harnessed their position to make a significant and positive difference to the world around us.
Philip Thomas, CEO, Ascential Futures, chairman, LIONS, said, “Yvon Chouinard has made a tireless commitment to environmentalism through his philanthropic contributions and leadership of Patagonia. He embodies the purpose of the LionHeart award and we are humbled to be able to offer the platform of Cannes Lions to appeal to the world’s communicators to help his cause. His work is an inspiration to us all and we look forward to honoring him in June.”
Previous recipients of the Cannes LionHeart include Bono, Al Gore, Blake Mycoskie, Richard Curtis, Paul Polman, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Malala Yousafzai.
Chouinard said, “50 years ago, we started this experiment in responsible business, and today, as we look towards the next 50, we’re dead serious about addressing the environmental crisis. Every part of the Patagonia business, including the value we create, is linked to our purpose. We have a long history of asking customers to think differently about the clothes they wear, buying only what they need and repairing when necessary. And as a company, we give away 1% of sales each year and are a certified B Corporation. But none of this is enough. That’s why we decided it’s time for a new experiment, with the announcement that Earth is now our only shareholder.
“Receiving the recognition of the LionHeart award sends the message that creativity can be a powerful force in the work to save our home planet. The creative industry is uniquely placed to lead the way in ambitious business practices and to inspire people everywhere to act now.”
Tyler LaMotte, marketing director, EMEA, Patagonia, will represent the brand on stage at Cannes Lions in a highly anticipated seminar. LaMotte said, “For our 50th year, we’re looking forward, not back, to life on Earth. Together, we can prioritize purpose over profit and protect this wondrous planet, our only home.” For the first time, the Cannes LionHeart seminar will dive into the marketing practitioners point of view and demonstrate how to drive the sustainability agenda in practice not theory, and how to prioritize purpose over profit.
Chouinard founded Patagonia in 1973, a company known for its quality products and commitment to advancing solutions to the environmental crisis. The company was nearly 50 when Chouinard decided it was time for another improvement. In September 2022, Chouinard and his family adopted an innovative ownership model, locking in the company’s values and dedicating the excess profits to protecting our home planet.
Chouinard co-founded 1% for the Planet, Textile Exchange, Fair Labor Association, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, The Conservation Alliance, the Regenerative Organic Alliance, and the Global Salmon Farming Resistance. Chouinard‘s business memoir “Let My People Go Surfing” has been published in 16 languages and has sold more than 500,000 copies. His book “The Responsible Company” tells how to incorporate values in business.
The Cannes LionHeart award will be presented during the final awards show of Cannes Lions on Friday, June 23.
SCHROM x Yacht Club and Be Electric Studios Launch Electric XR for Virtual Production
SCHROM x Yacht Club, a full-service live-action, tabletop, and postproduction company, has teamed with Be Electric Studios, a soundstage, equipment rental, and virtual production company, to launch Electric XR, a virtual production collective.
Industry veteran Thomas Rossano will lead the new venture, which provides advanced virtual production solutions across multiple facilities. He brings over 25 years of experience in live-action, tabletop, postproduction and talent curation to enhance Electric XR’s offerings as a resource for brands and agencies, as well as other production companies in need of virtual production solutions. Additionally Rossano continues to serve as EP at XR New York (XR-NY), a role he’s held since December 2022. SCHROM x Yacht Club originally established XR-NY to help provide XR services for third-party rentals. While XR-NY will continue to function independently for SCHROM X Yacht Club, it now operates under the Electric XR umbrella.
Rossano’s expertise spans producing live-action commercials, branded content, interactive and experiential content. In addition to leading Electric XR, he holds responsibilities at SCHROM x Yacht Club which include driving business development, collaborating with sales reps and expanding the company’s creative talent network. Rossano’s career includes serving as an exec producer at Hungry Man for about 11 years, right from that company’s inception. He then went on to become a partner at Station Film where he also had a lengthy tenure. Later he was a partner at PRISM. Then after the pandemic hit, he became a freelance EP for nearly two years, looking into opportunities in virtual production, which led him to XR NY and now Electric XR. Over the years, he has produced high-profile... Read More