The 94th Academy Awards are happening Sunday, March 27, and while we are woefully behind on this year’s nominees, we are fully up to speed on the most important aspect of the Oscars: the extravagant and usually ridiculous gift bag the nominees receive each year.
As usual, Distinctive Assets, the Los Angeles-based marketing company, is behind the bags, which will be distributed to various Oscar nominees. And the contents do not disappoint. Forbes estimates that the total value of the bag is $140,000, which is down from 2021’s $205,000, but still plenty extravagant and ridiculous.
“While this gift bag does, as always, have an impressive value, that is neither our focus nor goal,” Distinctive Assets founder Lash Fary said in a statement, according to Town & Country. “A great gift has nothing to do with a price tag. This year’s nominee package is particularly meaningful as we pay tribute to a milestone anniversary and also celebrate the resilience of all involved after the challenges of the past two years. Despite perpetual bad news globally, it’s also an important form of self preservation and self-care to carve out a little room for the fun, festive and fabulous.”
For the 20th year, marketing firm Distinctive Assets is independently presenting the top acting and directing #Oscar nominees with a gift bag worth $138,000 pic.twitter.com/NHDHWEgwEq
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 25, 2022
That self-care theme definitely comes through, both in the form of some more traditional gifts that would be right at home in an ordinary promo kit and some big-ticket items befitting this gift bag’s celebrity recipients. Here are some of the highlights.
Promo Staples (or Twists on Them):
- Double-wall stainless steel water bottle
- Various snacks (including chocolate-covered biscuits and “pre-wrapped popcorn kernels”)
- PETA-branded inflatable Orca with anti-Sea World imprint
- Anti-Sea World cinch bag (also PETA-branded)
- PETA postcard (pre-stamped and addressed to the CEO of SeaWorld)
- Personal care products (including a hair brush, sleep gummies and various skin-care items)
- Plush animals
- Sunglasses
- What looks like an enamel pin set
- Possibly some T-shirts?
- Candles
Crazy, Expensive or Both:
- A plot of land in Scotland
- Three-night stay at 17th century Scottish castle (valued at $50,000)
- Luxury custom home construction services worth $25,000
- Four-night stay at Golden Door luxury spa
- A “spiritual connection coaching session”
- Anti-aging supplements
- In-home training sessions from “fitness legend” Diego Sebastian
Check out last year’s bag here, and root for “Dune” in this year’s Best Picture race.
