Every year, swag bags of monumental proportions are handed out to stars at the Academy Awards and they’ve become the stuff of legend. No expense is spared and the 2014 Oscar swag bags were worth about $85,000. For that much money, you expect something fantastic and the Oscar swag bags don’t disappoint. What do they put in there? Let’s take a look:
Who Designs Them
For the past 14 years, Los Angeles based marketing company, Distinctive Assets has been handling the composition and delivery of the Oscar swag bags. Founder Lash Fary gives fans a televised sneak peek of what the bags contain before the show begins each year. Lash calls the bags “Everyone Wins at the Oscars” consolation prize bags, and says they’re meant to take the edge off of the disappointment felt by the nominees who don’t win.
Who Gets Them
The Oscar swag bags are given to only a few select nominees of the Academy Awards. The losers in the following categories receive the ultimate consolation prize:
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Supporting Actor
- Best Supporting Actress
- Best Director
Obviously recipients of the bags, which are actually large boxes, are big names in Hollywood, so the companies behind the products featured in the bags are thrilled to have been chosen for the endorsement.
Who’s Made the Cut
Lash Fary says that when he’s stocking the Oscar gift bags, he tries to find items that the stars wouldn’t think to buy for themselves. After all, they have enough money to buy whatever they want, so surprising them becomes an act in creativity. Some of the items featured in swag bags of the past include:
- Vacation packages to destinations all over the world
- Weight loss products, including a weight loss retreat
- An open bar party hosted by Disaronno
- Gift certificates for plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures
- Circus classes for recipients’ children
- Memberships to exclusive airline clubs
- Interior design gift certificates
- Designer lollipops
- Swiss-made watches
- Organic maple syrup
- Home spa systems
- Etc, etc, etc.
What’s New in 2015
After last year’s banner making package, everyone’s wondering what next month’s Oscar swag bag will contain. It’s a pretty hush-hush list at this point, but we do know one item that will be featured; The Haze Vaporizer, which is a portable marijuana vaporizer worth $250. Lash Fary says his focus every year is to include a wide representation of, “High-end, high-fashion, highly technological products. “