Wwho has already received a gift bag knows what usually makes people happy: a hand cream, a bar of chocolate or a necklace. Not so with the Academy Awards: As every year, this year’s Oscar nominees receive so-called “Gift Bags”. But if you are already one of the most successful in Hollywood, you have to give something extraordinary. Appropriately, the gift bags are called “Everyone Wins” – a consolation prize in advance, so to speak, in case it doesn’t work out this time.
A consolation prize that has it all
The consolation prize is a lot: In addition to snacks for mere mortals (popcorn and shokupan, a popular Japanese milk bread), the alcohol that is always needed (including wine and tequila) and the obligatory wellness products (bath ritual set, edible massage oil), there are again vouchers this year in the bag – worth, according to Forbes magazine, 126,000 US dollars.
For example, after the stress of the Oscars, nominees can take a free vacation to Italy and then relax at a country estate in Canada. If you still have wrinkles, you can have your face rejuvenated free of charge by a famous New York plastic surgeon. And then, completely free of charge, find out how your life will continue: During a shamanic reading by a famous life coach.
Doesn’t fit in a bag: The gifts Oscar nominees received in 2021.
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Image: Reuters
If you then decide that you want to make a change, there is a company ready to renovate your villa for you – without breaking the bank, of course.
A travel pillow from the animal protection organization PETA is also included so that the sense of injustice does not fall asleep. The one reads “Stop Monkey Imports to Labs”; to which sentence could one wake up more beautifully.
No gifts, just advertising
The gift bags have been put together since 1999 by the marketing company Distinctive Assets, which also takes care of award ceremonies such as the Grammys or BET Awards. Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets, told CBS that the value of the gift bags “is not our focus or our goal.” Strictly speaking, the gifts are not gifts at all: They are merely a marketing tool, to associate the so-called “A-listers” (i.e. the most successful among the actors) with certain products – so that they in turn can advertise free of charge for, for example, a plastic surgeon, a shaman or make a travel destination. Quid pro quo.
By the way, if the bag is not enough for you, you could have yourself checked into a so-called “gift suite” in a luxury hotel in advance. Travel vouchers (to Thailand, Iceland or French Polynesia), facial treatments, scarves, jewellery, perfume and bed linen were again waiting for them there. For “a select few” there was even a bone marrow and stem cell injection worth US$ 20,000. One wonders what criteria were used to select these special gift recipients – and whether they also feel like winners.