With gift bags like these, it really is nice just to be nominated

The swag-bags of Hollywood’s Oscar nominees continue to swell, with each piece of donated graft considered a shot at implicit or explicit celebrity endorsement and product placement. Imagine, for instance, what an opthamologist like Kerry Assil could do after giving even a minor celebrity a Lasik procedure, one of this year’s gifts. All of a sudden, you’re the “eye doctor to the stars.” (One hair-restoration radio advertiser is already using Matthew McConaughey’s endorsement. And Assil’s testimonials page is “Under construction”!) Resorts like the Mirage Hotel and Casino ($27,000 getaway package) and Starwood’s Bora Bora Nui ($8,000 package) can potentially brand their properties as celebrity hangouts.