The Best of the Emmy Gift Suites
Every year prior to the major awards shows (Oscars, Golden Globes, Grammys, Emmys) savvy PR and marketing companies hold lavish gifting suites in posh hotels. You might guess they’re full of top designer swag — Gucci, Prada, Cartier, etc. — but you’d be wrong. Those huge brands have to pay A-List stars millions of dollars to pose with their products. These suites are full of less-well-known but truly original goods that want the panache of being able to say, “Edie Falco has one of these!” Or they want media outlets (like mine) to run photos of Edie Falco with their particular product, in hopes that it will simply register on people’s radar. To be honest, we, in turn, like to run pictures of hot stars with these products to gain more readers or viewers.
Every year I’m charmed and impressed with their originality and innovation. I mean, really, how can you resist talking about a snack food called “Chipz Happen,” in flavors like “Cinnful Sweet Heat” and “Himalayan Pink Salt?” Or how about Rago Shapewear, the company that makes what used to be called “foundations,” the super sexy lingerie that we now see on television in shows like Mad Men and Masters of Sex? Girdles and garters are back, my friends, but now they’re made of breathable/washable materials that won’t scare you with unsightly indentations. My husband has always had a weakness for those, and now he knows where he can purchase them for me. I won’t have to guess what’s going to be in my stocking this year.
As you clan tell, the gamut runs from chips to chemises, and everything in between: Skin care, hair care, chocolates, diet systems, clothing, jewelry, hats, luggage, sunglasses, psychics, tableware, pet products, fragrances, food, beverages (both hard and soft), electronics, every type of grooming product imaginable, kitchen gadgets, and, admittedly among my favorites, pet products you never knew you needed until you saw them. And yes, there are lots of trips to exotic resorts in places like Bali, New Delhi and Costa Rica, but alas, I don’t get samples of those, because, let’s be honest, it’s not exactly a status symbol to be able to tell the world that “Lisa Johnson Mandell vacations here”… yet. To see some of my favorites from the Emmy Gift Suites, check out my feature on HGTV’s Frontdoor.com: Here’s Your Exclusive Access to the 2014 Emmy Celebrity Gift Suites. And stay tuned to the “Must Haves” section of AtHomeInHollywood.com because I’ll be singling out some individual products that I’ve become especially fond of.
Now I confess, it’s quite the rush to come home with bags full of swag–I have to try everything out before I write about it, don’t I? My nieces, my husband, my girlfriends, even my dog, greet me with shining eyes when I return after a busy day covering the gift suites. And lest I feel too giddy or greedy, I take some consolation in the fact that each one of these suites benefits a great cause. Donations of dollars, time and attention go to charities such as the Humane Society, the Shelter Pet Project, the GO Campaign for children, The EnvironmentalMedia Association, Cops 4 Causes, Mutt Match LA, Lupus LA, the Elysia Skye breast cancer foundation and KTTV’s Wednesday’s Child. The latter was about giving rather than getting, as media and celebrities alike brought brand new shiny donations for teenage girls hoping to find a home soon.
I like to think these events are a win/win for everyone: Great causes, good products and fabulous talent get recognized in a glamorous celebration of Hollywood’s finest. So happy I get to share it with you!
