If things were correct in this world, the people that can’t afford a lot would be the ones getting award show swag. After all, can’t most celebrities afford all this stuff anyhow?
But, as it turns out on this Academy Awards weekend, the celebrities are making out like bandits. I guess it is only far because only a select few will take Oscar home this weekend. All the others get to take home the swag.
What’s up for grabs this year? For the stars that stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, quite a few goodies. Lisa Gal of Hollywood Baskets has put a KitchenAid mixer in each room. But, this is not just any mixer – it has 22k gold paint. I think I’d be afraid to actually mix with that (as if celebrities do their own cooking!). Stars will also find a Swarovski crystal designed by Nicole Dinardo. The price tag on that is a cool $1,500.
If that isn’t enough, the celebs will also find nice Traveler’s Choice luggage that is filled with other gifts totally about $7,000. Gal says the important thing is that all the gifts be of high quality. “We have to make sure this is up to par on the celebrity’s level, so it’s very exclusive,” she said.
Swag bags are filled with gifts from established companies as well as those looking to make their name with celebs. Think of it as advertising. The company gives away their products, but that “gift” might come back to them two-fold if the celebs like the products and especially if the celeb tells their celeb friends how great the product is.
Who might be seeing Gal’s swag this weekend? Well, like any good rep, she won’t name celebrity names, but in the past, she has gifted the likes of Glenn Close (who will be there this year as a Best Actress nominee), Michelle Williams (also nominated for Best Actress), Colin Firth (who won Best Actor last year), and Morgan Freeman (a former Oscar winner).
Lest you think this all sounds very unfair that the rich keep getting richer, know that Gal does put aside one of her bags for a charity, which can in turn auction it off for a donation. This idea was created 16 years ago when publicist Roger Neal decided to donate swag to charities. He has celebrities who receive his swag bags autograph items, which are then auctioned to support an organ transplant foundation and a charity for foster children.