Here’s what’s in the $126,000 Oscars gift bags, and how they compare to previous years

Oscars nominees who go home without the 24-karat, gold-plated statues and awards they were nominated for — and the bragging rights that come along with it — won’t be leaving with completely empty pockets on Sunday night.

Los Angeles-based marketing company Distinctive Assets announced its “Everyone Wins” gift bags are back for this year’s 95th annual Academy Awards. The outrageous gifts presented to nominees have previously been valued at more than $230,000 per person and have included extravagant getaways, cosmetic procedures and even snacks.

But this year, inflation appears to also be hitting the gift bags, with a reported cost of $126,000 per bag — a 10 per cent drop from the bags nominees took home in 2021.

What’s inside this year’s Oscars gift bags?

This year’s (unofficial) Oscars gift bags will include everything from vouchers for plastic surgery to snack foods. And, despite the name, they aren’t actually gift bags — the gift items come in suitcases delivered to the nominees house.

Those suitcases — while practical for delivering goods — can serve a dual purpose as baggage for celebrities looking to cash out on their $40,000, three-night stay at The Lifestyle estate in rural Ottawa, or to a restored hillside lighthouse on an island off the Italian coast valued at $9,000, both trips included in this year’s bag.

Here’s what else celebrities are taking home:

Who gets an Oscars gift bag?

Those nominated for the four main acting and directing categories this year are eligible for a gift bag, which include Austin Butler, Colin Farrell, Cate Blanchett, Ana de Armas, Michelle Williams, Michelle Yeoh, Judd Hirsch, Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Todd Field and Steven Spielberg.

Why does Distinctive Assets create Oscars gift bags for nominees?

Distinctive Assets has been distributing their unofficial gift bags to Academy Award nominees since 2002, but the Academy hasn’t always welcomed the company’s marketing tactics.

In fact, The Academy sued Distinctive Assets in 2016 for branding the bags as “Oscar” gift bags, and claimed the contents inside — which at one point included sex toys, cannabis vaporizers and a “vampire breast lift” — tarnished its brand. The lawsuit was resolved, and the gift bags have continued to land at the houses of the nominees.

The gift bags are essentially a marketing campaign for the film industry, similar to commercial slots during the Super Bowl.

How do brands get their products in the gift bags?

Forbes reported brands pay between $4,000 and $35,000 to be included in the annual selection — a risky but high-reward move if the celebrities their products are gifted to are spotted with their products.

“While our gifts may be famous for being fun, fabulous, useful and unique, they also serve a grander purpose,” wrote Distinctive Assets founder Lash Fary in a media release. “Most of the brands we include are from a diverse and inclusive array of small businesses who meaningfully benefit from the global exposure that being associated with Hollywood’s Biggest Night affords them. This is celebrity marketing with a mission.”

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