EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Jan. 23, 2008 -- FORTUNE announced today that Mattel, the world's largest toy company, has been named to the prestigious 11th annual "100 Best Companies to Work For" list, ranking number 70. Mattel is the only toy company to make the 2008 list.

"We're proud to be named among this group of outstanding companies," Alan Kaye, senior vice president of human resources at Mattel, said. "At Mattel, we have some of the most talented, innovative and creative people in business; we have great employee benefits; and we have exceptional brands. We believe all these things together tell Mattel's story of why we are an employer of choice."

Mattel is noted for maintaining a very high level of employee morale and pride, even in the midst of industry-wide product recalls. Leadership, integrity and openness have all been cited by employees as the company's ongoing commitment to do the right thing.

Employee Comments:

Deborah Dicochea, associate manager of the Mattel Children's Foundation, said, "If anything, I think morale is even better than before. I've been working here 16 years. People are proud to say they work here, even through these recalls. We've come together as a family."

John DeRubes, director of baby gear engineering at Fisher-Price, said, "What sticks in my mind is that our CEO said, 'How you achieve success is just as important as success itself.' I tell my kids that. We saw our leader demonstrate our company's values, and this was his finest hour."

Arnaud Roland Gosselin, Marketing France, said, "Mr. Eckert was very brave. He never tried to escape from the issue. We were all one team, one company all with the same goal. I will always remember that."

Karen Merline, American Girl Customer Service, said, "Bob was candid about the recalls and I appreciated that and felt empowered by it. The message was always 'do the right thing.' I have always been proud to work for Mattel, and even more so now."

Mattel also offers a world-class work/life environment with competitive salaries and outstanding benefits for employees and their families. Reflecting its focus on families and children, Mattel provides a range of special perks to its employees, including half-day Fridays, new baby welcome gifts, adoption assistance, toy discounts, free tickets to local events, educational assistance and on-site childcare at key locations.

FORTUNE Magazine's full list will appear in the Feb. 4 issue, available on newsstands Jan. 28 and online at http://www.fortune.com. The list is considered a national benchmark for employers that show leadership in human resources programs and corporate culture improvement for all employees.

About the List:

To pick the "100 Best Companies to Work for", FORTUNE works with Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz of the Great Place to Work Institute to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America. Of some 1,500 firms that were contacted, 406 companies participated in this year's survey. Nearly 100,000 employees at those companies responded to a 57-question survey created by the Great Place to Work Institute, a global research and consulting firm with offices in 30 countries. Most of the company's score (two-thirds) is based on the results of the survey, which is sent to a minimum of 400 randomly selected employees from each company. The survey asks questions related to their attitudes about the management's credibility, job satisfaction and camaraderie. The other third of the scoring is based on the company's responses to the Institute's Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, methods of internal communications, training, recognition programs and diversity efforts, etc. After evaluations are completed, if news about a company comes to light that may significantly damage employees' faith in management, that company may be excluded from the list. Any company that is at least seven years old with more the 1,000 U.S. employees is eligible. The deadline for applying for next year's list is March 31, 2008. For an online nomination form, go to http://www.greatplacetowork.com.

About Mattel:

Mattel, Inc., (NYSE: MAT, http://www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica® and Tyco® R/C, as well as Fisher-Price® brands, including Little People®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. Mattel is recognized as one of 2008's 100 Best Companies to Work For by FORTUNE Magazine, among the 100 Most Trustworthy U.S. Companies by Forbes Magazine and is ranked among the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by CRO Magazine. Committed to ethical manufacturing sustainable business practices, Mattel marks a 10-year milestone in 2007 for its Global Manufacturing Principles. With global headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than 30,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands -- today and tomorrow.

To learn more about careers at Mattel, go to: http://www.mattel.com/careers.