Peek inside the gift bags for Oscar nominees in 2024, valued at $178,000
Only those Oscar nominees who win in their categories will go home with a bronze statuette, but all actors and directors who are nominated for awards will receive a complimentary bag full of expensive goodies.
The Oscars haven't given ceremony attendees or nominees official gift bags since 2006, when the Academy nixed the longstanding tradition, under scrutiny from the IRS. The tax agency insisted celebrities were responsible for paying taxes on the gifts, should they choose to accept them.
Since then, enterprising marketing guru, Lash Fary, founder of LA-based marketing firm Distinctive Assets, has been filling the swag void in an effort to get brands' products in front of some of the world's most influential consumers.
Dubbed the "Everyone Wins" gift bag, the freebies are not affiliated with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but the bags' contents are still taxable.
The nominees, most of whom are well-known celebrities earning millions of dollars a year, are often the recipients of lavish gifts from brands seeking their endorsements. The six-figure swag bag is also a valuable opportunity for small, lesser-known brands to raise their profiles and gain buzz-generating seals of approval from Hollywood's elite, according to Fary.
"While our gifts may be famous for being fun, fabulous and unique, they also serve to elevate small businesses, minority-owned brands, female entrepreneurs and companies who give back. This is celebrity marketing with a mission," Fary said in a statement provided to CBS MoneyWatch.
"Just as any A-list actor doesn't 'need' millions of dollars to walk onto a film set, these gifts are given based on the invaluable stardust these nominees can bestow upon a brand. Of course they can afford to buy these things; they are also in a uniquely favorable marketing position. This is a straightforward win-win transaction," he added.
Who gets an "Everyone Wins" gift bag?
Fary offers the bags to the 25 actors and directors who are nominated for Academy Awards. This year, nominees in the acting categories include Colman Domingo, Jeffrey Wright, Lily Gladstone, Carey Mulligan, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, Annette Bening and others. Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese are among the directors who are nominated for Oscars this year. Typically, Fary either delivers or ships the baskets to recipients' homes or offices.
How much is the gift bag worth this year?
The gift bags for Oscar nominees this year are worth a total of $178,000, according to Fary, but only if recipients redeem all the certificates and credits offered to them — which no gift bag recipient has ever done, he said.
The certificates have zero value if the recipients don't redeem them, Fary said. "A lot of the gifts aren't redeemed because of scheduling alone, but there are usually a couple of people who take a trip."
What's the most expensive gift bag ever for Oscar nominees?
Fary's most expensive gift bag for Oscar nominees was valued at $225,000, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Handed out to Oscar-nominated stars and directors at the 2020 Academy Awards, the gift bags contained among other A-list treats, a 24k-gold vape pen, smart bra and cruise to Antartica.
What's in the "Everyone Wins" gift bag for 2024?
This year's freebies, collectively valued at $178,000, include luxurious travel experiences, home renovation opportunities, beauty products, health and wellness tools, food and beverage samples and more. The priciest items include a stay at Chalet Zermatt Peak, a luxury chalet in the heart of Zermatt, Switzerland, a popular European ski destination. The experience is valued at $50,000, according to Fary, and includes daily meals and massages, among other perks.
"It's one of the top three most expensive gifts we've ever given," Fary told CBS MoneyWatch.
Also included in the gift bags is a three-night stay at a private villa in St. Barts, at Saint-Barth Paradise. Week-long rentals start at $4,080 and go up to $34,000, according to the company's website. The fancier villas offer beach views, infinity pools, a fitness center and other amenities.
What's the most expensive Oscars gift bag item ever?
All-expenses paid travel packages including stays at luxury hotels around the world, are among the most expensive gift-bag items for red-carpet VIPs at the Oscars.
The most expensive travel-package ever included in an "Everyone Wins" Oscar-nominee gift bag was 2020's Antarctic cruise, valued according to Forbes at the time, at $78,000.
Here is everything included in this year's gift bag
Travel and leisure
All-inclusive luxurious Swiss getaway for up to ten guests at Chalet Zermatt Peak Seven-day holistic wellness retreat from the Golden Door Three-night stay in a private villa at Saint-Barth Paradise
Home
Maison Construction complimentary home project managementSchwank Grills Portable Infrared Grill
THOR Kitchen luxury kitchen appliances + culinary accessories
Beauty
Adonis Arcana men's grooming and skincare red carpet gift set
Danucera award-winning cerabalm and D22 TonicEpicLight Beauty Radiant Duo blush + lip balm Goodal Vitamin C serum + eye gel patch Hotsy Totsy Haus Deafinitely Divine Glow Kit Instytutum result-driven skincare gift set
Kenra platinum blow-dry spray
Miage ultra-luxury transformative skincare productsPotenza RF microneedling by CynosureSerucell post-procedure restorative recovery serum
Charity
10,000 donated plant-based meals for dogs from v-dog, in support of PETA's Global Compassion Fund.
Health and wellness
1MD Nutrition's LiverMD luxury mocktail kit fostering liver health Auro Wellness glutaryl topical glutathione
BlendQuik personal portable blender
Helight red light sleep therapy device
Isopure collagen peptides drink mix
Sound bath with Kate Schofield & The Earth's Hum Tuning Fork
Food and beverage
Ultra-premium Antigua Cruz Añejo Cristalino Tequila 100% Pure Agave C60 Power Sugar Free Tart Cherry Gummies
Eatable premium gourmet popcorn inspired by the flavors of Happy Hour Élevé adaptogen-infused sparkling water
Fetcha Chocolates handmade luxury vegan chocolate
Gin Bothy award-winning small-batch Scottish gin Karma Nuts new bite-sized gluten-free Cashew Cookies
Poppi reimagined soda
Posh Pretzels handcrafted chocolate covered pretzels
Windy City Sweets black licorice
Clothing and accessories
BAGCEIT portable purse seat Blush Silks beauty pillowcases Bored Rebel graphic undershirts Cate Brown sustainable upcycled designer pillows
Dooplikit full-color 3D selfie figurine
Elboque sustainable artisan handbags and backpacks
HEYDUDE comfortable + versatile footwear
Jambys "performance inactivewear" boxers (with pockets) + JamTee gift set
Overnight Travel Bags travel duffle
Rose Box NYC luxury long-lasting roses
Sattaché shoe bag
Shinery Radiance Wash Luxury Jewelry Cleaner and Brush Duo
Experiences
Private show with mentalist to the stars Dr. Carl Christman The Sagar Luxury Sugar ExperienceWesper's in-home Clinical Sleep Consultation
Books
"Be nice. The end. Simple Wisdom of the Playground Kids." by Bryan Scavnak
"Glow: 90 Days to Create Your Vibrant Life from Within" by Dr. Stacie Stephenson
"Memorable Movie Performances: A combination of reference and editorial review of films of the Classic Era" by J.B. Gould."Safe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care, and the Risks We Take for Family" by Mark Daley"There's Something in the Water" from STEM4Real
"'You Talkin' to Me?' The Definitive Guide to Iconic Movie Quotes," by Brian Abrams
Other items
Rubik's Cube 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition Smack Pet Food raw dehydrated super food for cats Wallis Annenberg GenSpace gratitude postcards fostering intergenerational connectedness
