By: Adnan Arnautlija
The 88th edition of the greatest show in show business, the Academy Awards were held just days ago, and although not everyone can boast with the coveted gold statue, company Distinctive Assets again this year made sure that everyone nominated will leave the event as a winner.
In fact, all of the nominees in the categories of best actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, and director, again this year received the “Oscars swag bag”, a hedonistic bag of gifts and trinkets with a combined value reaching well over $200,000!
Distinctive Assets dubs their activity “Everyone Wins”, and with this notion packs the bags with a range of products and services, from lip balm worth $6, to year-round Audi rentals worth $54,000, or a ten-day trip to Israel, with accommodation in a five star hotel, transportation and personal security worth $55,000.
Among the more expensive gifts this year are lifelong supply of Lizora skin cream worth $31,200, a trip to Japan for two worth $54,000, a trip to Italy and accommodation in Excelsior Vittoria worth $5,000, three nights at the Grand Hotel Tremezo in Italy worth $5,000, and so on.
There are also some less than usual gifts, such as Haze Dual V3 vaporizer worth $243.99, Fiera sex toy worth $250, training sessions with celebrity fitness trainers worth about $3,000, weight loss jelly beans worth $19.88, in-house spa set with an in-shower wireless radio worth $5,060 and the most unusual of all, the “Vampire Breast Lift” treatment which uses plasma from the patient’s blood to enhance their cleavage, worth $1,900.
One thing, however, must be pointed out. These awesome bags have nothing to do with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Academy has even raised a lawsuit against the Distinctive Assets, arguing that activities related to these gift bags tarnish the reputation of the Academy Awards, and highlighting some of the above products which they consider completely inappropriate.
And this is not the only controversy surrounding the gifts showered upon the rich and famous. Activists who oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories also urged for a boycott of the costliest item in the bag, the trip to Israel. And do we even need to mention that these bags are only a miniscule portion of what is offered to the celebrities during the Oscars? During the several days surrounding the Oscars, they are invited to dozens of freebie events where they also receive expensive gifts and free services.
In fact, through these activities, which some call “celebritizing”, brands and service providers want to raise their image. You’ll agree that it’s not a small thing in terms of advertising when a paparazzi takes a shot of a celebrity holding your product in their hand.
