Lisa Gal – The Go-To Gal for Swag
OM Times: I know I was completely floored when we saw the OM Times cookies. I think product sampling must be one of the more fun perks of the job. What are more interesting or unusual items you have worked with?
Lisa: I love sampling my products and I do have to try them out, because we would hate to give a face cream to a celebrity and have them break out from something in the product. We want to make sure what we are giving is top quality and worthy of a celebrities attention.
Unfortunately I cannot sample the edible treats because I have a nut allergy, so I give them to my co-workers and ask them what they think. Right now I am completely in love with an item called THE CARD CUBBY. It is like a little mini filing cabinet for your purse. There are tabs that you can file your credit cards, gift cards and frequent visitor cards alphabetically. It keeps things simple at the register and lets you locate what you are looking for in a flash! I plan on giving one to everyone I know for Christmas. I also plan to carry them on my site in the near future. We just sent one to Ellen DeGeneres and Portia on behalf of the company. I hope they do really well! They deserve it.
OM Times: The most amazing creations seem to be the Award Ceremony Baskets. Which ones to you provide gift baskets for and how do you chose what goes in them?
Lisa: We provide gift bags for celebrity, nominees and presenters staying at various hotels in the Los Angeles/ Beverly Hills area. We have been gifting The Emmy’s, The Golden Globe Awards, The Grammy’s and The Oscars. I am very particular in selecting my items for the gift bags. I always think in terms of what I would like to see in a gift bag that I receive. There are always candles, chocolates, cosmetics, and fashion items. We also have to obtain approval for each and every item that appears in the gift bag from the hotel we are working with. In the end we represent them. They are giving this welcome gift to the VIP celebrities in the rooms when they arrive. We want to reflect them in the best possible light.
OM Times: The items you put in the baskets are not just swag; you also use them as a platform to raise awareness about various charities. Who are some of the charities you have worked with and how do you choose them?
Lisa: We also always feature a charity in our gift bags. For the Grammy Gift Bag we are working with Rob and Marisol Thomas’s charity The Sidewalk Angels Foundation. Their foundation is dedicated to providing critically needed funds and support to grassroots groups across the country. It is the primary supporter and sponsor of a number of no-kill animal shelters and animal rescues, reflecting the passion of the foundation’s co-founders to fight for the rights and fair treatment of those with no voice. Additionally, the foundation also supports a myriad of other causes, from childhood health and wellness to the fight against homelessness. We feel compelled to spread the word about those in need. I am also eager to work with you Christopher and spread awareness about your cause, Humanity Healing International. I am excited to be placing the necklaces from your organization in our Oscar gift bags. These necklaces are made by women in Uganda and if we can find a means of distributing their necklaces here in the states we can help sustain a community of woman in Uganda. A-listers are in the position to help support and promote charities they believe in. We know this will be the case when they receive the fabulous SWAG with just a piece of reality inside.
