After this year’s Oscars, the true victors are predicted to be the pets of the stars, as the annual gift collection includes two presents specifically aimed at furry friends. Delightful raw superfood from the organic Canadian brand Smack will be enjoyed by feline companions. In a heartening gesture, for each gift collection received, V-dog, a plant-based organisation, will donate 10,000 meals for dogs to Peta’s Global Compassion Fund.
Indulgences also feature three vacations, including a sojourn in a Swiss chalet, a wellness retreat 160km from the lights of Hollywood, and a three-night stay in Saint Barts. Overall, health and grooming goodies dominate the gift collection, with a myriad of skincare products, liver detox tablets, topical glutathione, and microneedling items. Comestibles are also in abundance, like miniature gluten-free cashew biscuits, cherry sweets without sugar, an intriguing sagar sugar encounter, tequila, gin, alongside a collagen peptide beverage blend.
The luxuries offered to the movers include compact seats for handbags, portable blenders, and an infrared grill. For the home, there are offerings of project management and a specialised sleep consultation for use after the holidays. These exclusive Oscars nominee gift collections, coined “Everyone Wins”, are assembled and distributed by PR firm Distinctive Assets to the host of the ceremony along with all 20 acting nominees, and the finalists for best director.
A trademark infringement case in 2016 clarified that these gift collections aren’t officially linked with the Oscars, as emphasised in this year’s press release that states that “Ampas doesn’t recognise, endorse, or provide these gift collections”. Along with gifting the unique array of items, firms selected by Distinctive Assets’ founder Lash Fary are required to pay an admission fee of roughly $4,000 (€3,665). As an estimated worth, these collections came to about $125,000 (€115,000) last year, with this year’s expected to be of similar value according to Fary.
Undeniably, the value of the gift bag, as per tradition, stands comparatively high in the six-digit range, however, its monetary worth isn’t our primary concern or objective. Much like eminent film stars not requiring several million dollars to appear on set, the giveaways are presented in light of the priceless appeal these nominated individuals can impart to a trademark. Fary expressed his aspiration that this year’s selection would highlight “local businesses, enterprises governed by minorities, female-led startups, and firms that invest in philanthropy”.
The more economical goodies involve a tuning fork, a 50th-anniversary edition Rubik’s Cube, a children’s book promoting empathy and kindness, a collection of cinematic quotations, gratitude postcards encouraging multigenerational ties, Mark Daley’s intense memoir of an unfortunate fostering experience, and Dr Stacie Stephenson’s self-improvement book, Glow.
There’s another contribution from a doctor noted as the “celebrity mentalist”, Dr Carl Christman, offering a private performance. He’s a Communications professor with a specialty in mind-reading who showcases his skills at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles.
The Oscars will be held in Hollywood on the 10th of March. Robert Downey Junior and Da’Vine Joy Randolph are favourites for the supporting roles category, while the lead actor and actress titles are in fierce competition, with contenders being Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone, and Cillian Murphy and Paul Giamatti.
Even if some nominees miss out on the main awards, they will still find an exclusive full-colour 3D figurine of themselves in their goody bag, generously provided by the Hawaii-based firm, dooplikit.