With the Academy Awards only away, event attendees are busy fretting about dresses, tuxedos, and finalizing acceptance speeches.
But one thing they won’t have to worry about its getting stiffed on their gift bags — as this year’s freebies have soared to a value of about $180,000 in goodies, even as Americans’ average income is not even half of that.
The hefty price tag has soared past that of recent swag bags. The gift bag last year, for instance, came in at a modest $126,000.
Meanwhile, according to federal data, the national average income in the U.S. in Q4 of 2023 was $59,384. That is three times less than the value of this year’s Oscars gifts.
The 2024 swag bag is also many times higher in relative value than the $137,000 seen in 2022. However, it is less than the $205,000 seen in 2021, and the 2020 bag valued at a whopping $225,000.
This year’s gift bag — which has been dubbed the “Everyone Wins” bag, according to Delish.com — includes luxury skincare products, a free trip to Switzerland, another to tropical Caribbean paradise St. Barts, a seven-day “wellness” retreat, chocolates, drinks, and other foods, and even appliances like grills and a wine cooler refrigerator.
Lash Fary, founder of Marketing company Distinctive Assets, which is in charge of the swag giveaway, insisted that the hefty value of the bags was not “the focus.”
“While this gift bag does, as always, have an impressive six-figure value,” Fary said, “that is neither our focus nor goal. Just as any A-list actor doesn’t ‘need’ millions of dollars to walk on to a film set, these gifts are given based on the invaluable stardust these nominees can bestow upon a brand.”
He added that the emphasis is on the “small businesses, minority-owned brands, female entrepreneurs, and companies” that are providing the freebies to the stars.
This year, the stars can expect a 45-bottle wine fridge from THOR Kitchen that retails for $1,800, a portable grill manufactured by Schwank worth $1,250, and a BlendQuik blender that goes for $80 retail, according to Business Insider.
Some even higher-ticket items include a five-star Chalet Zermatt Peak in Switzerland worth $50,000. Also included is a three-night stay at a luxury villa at Saint Barthélemy, and a seven-day wellness program at Golden Door California.
There are also cosmetics worth $10,000 and many food and drink items — including Antigua Cruz Anejo Cristalino Tequila, Gin Bothy Limited Edition Original Gin, an Eatable Poparazzi Luxe Popcorn Tin, some Élevé Sparkling Water, chocolates from Fetcha, and some Karma Nuts Cashew Cookies.
The IRS and the California Department of Revenue also take their share of the gifts’ monetary value. Last year, if a celebrity took the whole swag bag home with them, the agencies charged a total of $79,000 in taxes on the items inside the bag.
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