The celebrations started early for the presenters and performers of the 2006 American Music Awards. Thanks to the creative minds of Distinctive Assets, an LA-based entertainment marketing company, stars enjoyed some pre-show revelry with the exclusive AMA Talent Gift Basket and Gift Lounge. The ceremony was held on November 21, airing live on ABC from the Shrine Auditorium. But the day before, the Shrine parking lot was transformed into a luxury gift suite for talent and media.
Distinctive Assets put together a stellar assortment of gifts for AMA presenters and performers such as Gwen Stefani, Beyoncé, Carrie Underwood, and the newly-svelte Britney Spears. Both the Memorex-sponsored Gift Basket and The Talent Lounge were chock-full of exclusive offers and luxury items that would make even the most jaded celebrity envious.
The Talent Lounge was open during rehearsals the day before as well as the day of the show, giving stars the chance to relax before the big event. At the Creative Nail booth (www.creativenaildesign.com), guests were invited to enjoy relaxing manicures and take home a home-spa kit with all of Creative’s top-selling products. Schwan’s Bakery (www.schwansbakeryfs.com), famous for their Mrs. Smith pies, was on hand to offer scrumptious desserts, like the Cinnabon Apple Crumb Pie, and gift certificates for two pies a month for a year. Manicures and baked goods, what could be more indulgent!
The Talent Lounge was filled with representatives from diverse companies all with special gifts for the stars. From hair products to clothing to accessories, the ladies had all the essentials for looking great at their fingertips!
Hair Dr. Spela brought their brand new line of innovative hair products. In fact, AMA presenters and performers were among the first to try their 1-2-3 Home Hair Care 
System, which was not released until after Thanksgiving. Everyone received the System, which includes the Jade Hair Dryer, Dr. SCALP Massager and Spela 707 Shampoo. This system is truly “East Meets West” as it applies both western and eastern medicines and methods that aid hair care problems. www.hairdr-spela.com
M. Frederic (www.mfrederic.com), one of LA’s hottest stores, provided the trendy clothes. Guests could choose from favorites including 1921 Jeans and T-shirts from Affliction and Sinful. They also received a $100 M. Frederic gift certificate to continue their shopping at any of the M. Frederic boutiques. With the additional gifts of woven leather handbags from Elliott Lucca (www.elliottlucca.com), delicate jewelry from Jill Reno Collection (www.jillrenocollection.com) who also threw in a bottle of wine, and, of course, fabulous manicures from Creative Nail, the ladies received all the elements to create a perfect look for a night out.
The men cleaned up, too, as there were several products aimed at the masculine sex. Mossy Oak Apparel provided a gift bag in itself. The hunting apparel company gave away over-sized camouflaged duffels filled to the brim with T-shirts, vests, long-sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, hats and caps, all designed with the outdoor enthusiast in mind. Now celebrity hunters like Jaime Foxx (or so we hear from the people at Mossy Oak) will be all set for their next trip into the woods. www.mossyoak.com
Latino Royalty brought their stunning collection of men’s shirts, belts blazers and more to the Lounge. Inspired by the heritage, beauty, and zest of Latin culture, the line blends rich colors and fabrics with excellent design and craftsmanship. The brand exemplifies the lifestyle of someone who bridges both worlds of the contemporary Americas – the multicultural, bi-lingual, sophisticated male of Latin heritage who wants to express his own sense of individuality. It’s clothing for the man who feels equally home in Buenos Aires, or Boston, or Bogotá, Los Angeles or on the streets of 
New York. Guests were able to choose from items such as the Houston trench coat and the Evolution Belt. www.latinoroyalty.com
Also for the guys, DKNY provided a range of ultra-soft and comfortable men’s underwear and t-shirts. (Although the girls were scooping up the shirts for themselves to wear as comfy sleep shirts!) www.dkny.com
Everyone was able to take advantage of exciting new electronics, fabulous shades, relaxing getaways and much more. SanDisk (www.sandisk.com) showcased the new Sansa e200R MP3 Player, a sleek black device for music, photo and video. The best part, especially for time-starved stars, is that it comes pre-loaded with songs so it’s ready to go out of the box. Guests also received a bundle of electronic goodies from iHome, a line of stereos and equipment made to work with Apple’s ubiquitous iPod. The care-package included the iH5 iPod Clock Radio, the iH31 iPod Boombox, and the iH1 Portable Speaker Case. www.ihomeaudio.com
No celebrity is complete without a pair of shades, and Solstice Sunglass Boutique was there to make sure they dodge the paparazzi in style. They offered a wide selection of designer sunglasses from Gucci, Armani, Marc Jacobs Valentino, YSL and many others. Set up as a sunglass bar, guests could try on all the styles to find their perfect pair. www.solsticestores.com
Guests also received a gift certificate from Kiana Resorts (www.kianaresorts.com) for five nights at the luxurious Villas at Playa Dominical in Costa Rica, a Gibson Guitar Bar/Guitar Stool (www.gibson.com), original paintings from Jim Hayek (www.jimhayek.com) and a gift certificate from J. Gatsby Events—who designed the gorgeous AMA Lounge décor—worth $1,500 for any event. www.jgatsby.com
Distinctive Assets also put together the exclusive AMA Gift Basket, sponsored by Memorex. All performers and presenters received the basket, filled with goodies from: Memorex, Amazing Catering & Events, BennieFactor Hair products, Breathe by Heather Lounsbury Home Acupuncture Services, Bubble Chocolate, CLAY gym, Color Me Mine, Dr. Cory Lessner of Millennium Eye Centers, EDUN Clothing, Gatehouse Capital & HEI Hospitality, Glitzy Baby, Hugg-a-Planet, Iron Cowgirls Clothing, Jimmyland books, Kinerase Skin Care, Laclede Biotene Oral Care products, Lemonheads candy, Lil’ Ewe’s baby products, Milagro Tequila, McCartney Multimedia, Naterra body products, OMY Body Discovery products, Pit Bull Energy Drink, Radica Cube Games, Sky Flowers, Starbucks, SUDZZ FX, T-County men’s clothing, Toteplus, Tunebuckle, and Unilever (a jewel-encrusted jar of Vaseline!).
“We are thrilled to add this year’s American Music Awards to our lineup of stellar celebrity events,” said Lash Fary, CEO of Distinctive Assets. “The presenters and performers have such a fun and eclectic assortment of gifts awaiting them. It’s a wonderful way to thank these stars and kick off the holiday gift season.”
Established in 1999, Distinctive Assets not only produces the Gift Baskets and Talent Lounge for many major award shows but also provides product placement, product introduction and branding opportunities within the entertainment industry. Other services include Corporate & Personal Gifting for every occasion.
