What’s in the box?
Surely after Sunday night the headlines will be filled to the brim with the winners and losers of the 95th Academy Awards. I’m more interested in what will fill the infamous Oscar goodie bag this year.
If you didn’t know, every year the Oscars give away a goodie bag for actor and director nominees with some of the most jaw-dropping and egregious content you’ve ever heard.
The contents of this year’s gift bag are worth around $126,000 (about €120,000).
Yes, you read that right. He only goes to interim nominees and management, but that’s still 25 different nominees. It’s unclear if the leadership of nominee duo The Daniels (Everything everywhere all at once) will receive a gift bag or two… Yet with at least 25 likely recipients, that means the total value of the gift bag is $3,150,000.
In fairness to the Academy, they do not pay the basket. Instead, it is offered by marketing company Distinctive Assets which provides celebrity and brand placement opportunities within the entertainment industry.
The contents of this year’s bag are as enticing as its price.
Some of the biggest freebies include the chance to stay in luxury vacation homes in the Ottawa countryside, complete with use of the 10-acre property’s sports car. Or you can fly to the volcanic island of Ischia, Campania in Italy for a relaxing break.
If you want something a little more permanent than just a vacation, a plot of land in Australia is on offer.
Yes, the 25 nominees will wake up Monday morning possessing a bit of Australia.
If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite movie stars look youthful through the years, it’s probably something to do with the health and beauty products they get in the bag.
Among Miage skin care products, Ariadne Athens Skin Wellness bath ritual sets, C60 Purple Power edible massage oil… There are also Art Lipo body sculpting, facial rejuvenation procedures from Dr. Konstantin Vasyukevich and Bauman Medical Hair Restoration Services.
Dig deeper and there are plenty of chocolates and tea sets to satisfy even the most discerning candidate. Is Colin Farrell sneaking around with michelle yeois the Havaianas luggage and flip flops set?
What’s in it for the brands that offer these freebies, you might be wondering.
The brands involved pay $4,000 to be included in the basket, though nominees aren’t required to promote or even take home any of the items.
You may take comfort in knowing that this year’s gift bag is almost skimpy compared to those from past ceremonies.
The most expensive gift bag was for the 2016 Oscars, worth $232,000 (around €220,000). That’s over $100,000 more than this year, not even taking inflation into account.
The 2016 basket included incredible vacation opportunities including a 15-day private walking tour in Japan, a 10-day trip to Israel, and vacations in Italy and California.
Among the cosmetic deals, the 2016 nominees could also claim $5,000 in plastic surgery from a New York surgeon, a nearly $2,000 vampire breast lift, and a $6 lip balm. . A $250 vibrator was also included.
Even Oscar-nominated orgasms are more expensive than yours.