The First Ever "Gifting for a Cause" and Multicultural Swag Bag is a Big Hit at This Year's Oscar Celebrations and The Ebony Pre-Oscar Party Gift Suite
Raye Mitchell and Paulette Washington
accepting for Denzel Washington
Raye Mitchell and Henry Simmons
Oakland, CA (BlackNews.com) - In this week of post Oscar excitement and Hollywood buzz about the Academy Awards, celebrations and fashion do's and don'ts, curiosity still surrounds the infamous celebrity gift suites and what's new in this year's must have gift bags. Over the years, celebrity gift bags have approached $100,000 each in excessive lavish and outlandish gifts designed to appeal to both wealthy and elite adult audiences. However, this year Visioning Realities Entertainment, Inc. (VRI) ushered in a new breed of celebrity swag bags called "Gifting for a Cause" which included products and services linked to or sponsors a charity and multicultural inclusion.
GBK Productions, was once again responsible for coordinating the official Oscar Gift Suite and the Ebony Pre-Oscar Party Gift Suite both held at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood. GBK has produced some of the most sought after gift suites that delivers some of the most exclusive and glamorous high valued glitzy gifts. GBK is very selective as to which sponsors are allowed in the suites and extended an invitation to VRI due to its unique ability to select the right gifts and gift theme that would have more of a personal touch for the celebrities. VRI owner, Raye Mitchell, Esq., stated "We were delighted to be invited to participate in GBK's exclusive and very selective gift suite this year for the first time. Therefore, it was extremely important for us to devise a gift that was trendsetting, philanthropic, multicultural, and of personal interest to the celebrities." VRI's concept of "Gifting for a Cause" gift bags was a perfect compliment to GBK's philanthropic efforts to donate 20% of the profits to selected benefitting organizations following the event.
With today's celebrities voicing concerns and increasing their involvement for human, social and political change around the world, it is clear that the way they are living is evolving and so should the swag gift bag. VRI made a conscience decision to evolve the nature of celebrity gift giving to reflect the holistic lifestyles of celebrities by selecting products that not only met GBK's elite suite criteria in sizzle but also linked celebrities' interest in world transformation and changing the human condition as witnessed with George Clooney and Don Cheadle's efforts with Darfur. Perfectly coordinated and staged to initiate thought, VRI's gift selections included signed and numbered frame Black Fine art entitled "Civil Duty" by artist Charly Palmer, custom hand painted candles from South Africa supporting Village Hopecore International, hand crafted wine coasters by Rwandan genocide widows from Indego Africa, multicultural educational toys and learning tools featuring Jeb the Giraffe, "The Little Black Book of Essentials" which is a limited edition book celebrating the contributions of African-American legendaries Mrs. Ruby Dee, Mr. Quincy Jones, Ms. Queen Latifah and Mr. Denzel Washington, and a host of other multicultural gifts and inclusions. Selected celebrities such as Ruby Dee and Natalie Cole, Amy Ryan, Christopher Rouse, also received the hot new engraved Apple iTouch from VRI.
Overwhelmed and extremely supportive, celebrities, Denzel and Paulette Washington, Beth Grant, Paula Abdul, Alan Arkin, Quincy Jones, Queen Latifah, Hill Harper, Penny Marshall, Tyrese Gibson, Taraji Henson, Amy Ryan, Shar Jackson and Jason Reitman were among the 150 recipients at the Ebony Pre-Oscar Gift Suite and the Pre-Oscar Gift Suite. Many noted that the concept of "Gifting for a Cause" was both "refreshing" and "a needed change" and thanked Mitchell for her efforts to include the other charities and stated that they "really appreciated the efforts and considerations."
"We were pleasantly overwhelmed by the celebrities' response and support. We thought we had a hit, but you never know. The bags were so well received; we ran out of gift bags and are now preparing more gift bags to mail to the celebrities that left their personal contact information. Some asked us when we will be gifting again and at other events. Still others want us to prepare some gifts for their gifting needs. Beth Grant of 'No Country for Old Man' said she was honored and wanted to take her picture with me. Hill Harper thanked me for my efforts. I am just pleased at the response because we can really help these charities." Mitchell said. 'When the celebrities thanked me for my efforts to include the other charities and to make a change in the gifting trend, I really felt that we have a chance to change the status quo and do more gifting for a cause events and projects in support of the I-C-HOPE The Makin a Nu Reality Foundation. It is really exciting to be a part of an evolution in the industry and really exciting to bring a multicultural inclusion touch to the Oscars celebration. We look forward to other events."
The company Visioning Realities Entertainment, Inc. is based in Oakland, California and started by Raye Mitchell, Esq. as a full service multicultural marketing and entertainment company, which provides upscale even productions, custom entertainment and gifting services. Mitchell, a Harvard Law School graduate, also owns The Mitchell Law Group, PC which is one of a few African American woman owned full service entertainment and business law and intellectual property firm. When developing the concept for celebrating Hollywood's biggest night, Mitchell noted "We decided to develop a creative theme for our gift bags to support I-C-HOPE The Makin a Nu Reality Foundation and not just select an expensive gift product. While we are hopeful that I-C-HOPE will be a featured charity in future events, we also wanted to create opportunities for other non-profits that otherwise would not have the chance to participate in an Oscar/celebrity gift bag." In addition, although the gift suites and bags continue to attract celebrities based on its high value contents, VRI wanted to introduce a new concept versus continuing the status quo and present selections of gifts that are more multicultural and represented a wider range of interest, connected personally and linked to positive change, self improvement, and transformations in the quality of life. VRI's "Gifting for a Cause" is the first of its kind for celebrity gift bag as well as the first inclusion of a multicultural toy or educational product that reflects celebrities' growing family values. Emily Wagner of NBC's ER stated, "I love Jeb the Giraffe, I have a two year old and can't wait to get more toys." In the end, VRI's concept garnered a well deserved pay-off for creativity and initiated what could perhaps lead to a new breed of swag bags.
To arrange an interview with Mitchell to discuss future "Gifting for a Cause" and sponsorships in detail, please call Vicki Williams at 925-753-1300 x 101. For more information about Mitchell, The Mitchell Law Group and Visioning Realities Entertainment, Inc. visit, www.mitchelllawgroup.com and www.VRIentertainment.com
CONTACT:
Vick S. Williams
V. Sheree Communications
925-753-1300 x 101
vicki@vshereecommunications.com
Email
This Article To A Friend
