Inside $126K Oscars gift bag: From liposuction to foreign land and more but here's what is BANNED
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The top nominees in the acting and directing categories at this year's Academy Awards are set to receive extravagant gift bags valued at around $126,000. The opulent gift bags, which are not affiliated with the Academy, are sent out to the acting and directing nominees by LA-based marketing company, Distinctive Assets. To be featured in the gift bag, brands pay $4,000, and around 60 luxurious items are included in each bag. The goodie bags include luxurious experiences like a woodland escape to Ottawa, Canada, and a trip to the volcanic island of Ischia. Additionally, there is a deed for a small plot of land in Australia aimed at promoting conservation efforts.
In a statement, Lash Fary, the founder of the company behind the gift bags, highlighted the significant impact these nominees can have on participating brands simply by using and talking about the products. "While our gifts may be famous for being fun, fabulous, useful, and unique, they also serve a grander purpose," he said. "Most of the brands we include are from a diverse and inclusive array of small businesses who meaningfully benefit from the global exposure that being associated with Hollywood's biggest night affords them. This is celebrity marketing with a mission," he added.
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What does the extravagant gift bag contain this year?
This year's 'Everybody Wins' gift bag for Oscar nominees features an array of luxurious items worth thousands of dollars. In addition to cosmetic treatments worth $41,000, the gift bag includes a plot of land in Australia of unknown size and location. Nominees can also enjoy a three-night stay for eight people in a restored Italian lighthouse valued at $9,000 and a $40,000 getaway at a Canadian estate called The Lifestyle. Recipients will also receive $25,000 worth of project management fees for home renovations from Maison Construction, Jo Bowlby’s 'A Book For Life', and a 'mental health orb' from Reflect.
The gift bag also features a variety of wellness products, including NaturGeeks function wellness 'immunity boost', C60 Purple Power edible massage oil, Blush Silks pillowcases, and Harmless Harvest coconut water. The gift bag also includes $41,000 worth of rejuvenation procedures, such as Dr Thomas Su’s Art Lipo arm sculpting and Dr Alan Bauman’s hair restoration services. Fary, the founder of the company behind the gift bags, emphasized the inclusion of diverse brands, with 56% of the companies being owned by women and minorities. Among the brands included are PETA, Rareté Studios, ReFa, Proflexa, Miage Skincare, and Benigna Parfums. The selection also includes a loaf of Japanese milk bread by Ginza Nishikawa worth $18, edible dates from Bateel, chocolate-covered pretzels from m cacao, a pack of Clif Thins, a 100-calorie snack bar worth $13.56.
No adult products included this year
During an interview with Australia's 'The Morning Show' on Friday, Fary, the founder of Distinctive Assets and the curator of this year's "Everybody Wins" gift bag, revealed that there would be no adult products included in the bag this time around. "Unfortunately I can no longer include sex toy stuff," he told co-hosts Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur. Fary then explained his reasoning behind including adult products in the past, saying, "I used to include it because it was a lovely, discreet way for Meryl Streep or Jennifer Lawrence or any of these amazing nominees, who can't go to a sex shop and pick up some fun things, to do it discreetly." However, while sex toys may be out, Fary did admit to including some edible avocado oil in the swag bag.