Exclusive Interview with Rita Branch co-founder of the Secret Room Gift Suite

Interview by Jenny Leeser, Jenny and the City

Award Season is like a Holiday in every way that I can’t even explain it!

The glitz, the glam, the red carpets, the A-list celebrities and the gift suites. The Secret Room is the “Golden Ticket” created by two power women Rita Branch and Amy Boathouse. I’m so thrilled to share an exclusive interview with one of the co-founders of the Secret Room.

WHAT IS THE SECRET ROOM GIFT SUITE?

Secret room gifting suite is when we bring brands together with celebrities and media to showcase the brands and products and to get attention from main stream media to promote the brand many have worked with their whole life to bring the product to the public.

HOW DID YOU START DOING GIFT SUITES?

I started doing the gifting suites in 2007 when the economy crashed from the financial crisis. It was a really special time to start because we could help struggling brands that needed media attention to bring sales at such a tough time in history. Many of the brands we had at that time had gone on to sell their brands to huge corporations and made a lot of money.

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT IT?

I love getting to know all the company brands and I get excited about new brands I get to discover. It’s truly exciting for me

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST INTERESTING SWAG AT YOUR SUITE?

For me, every product is interesting. I like to hear stories of how the brands started and why. So many have some sad stories about how they started, like starting a skin care brand with nothing in it that would cause skin cancer or other cancers. So when the company shares with me how they started, some are very inspiring and emotional and I learn it’s more than a brand. It’s their soul that went into the brand. It’s very touching and I always build a special relationship with our sponsors. With many of them I have a long friendship and they come back to do many more gift suites and we know each other like family and friends.

It takes about 6 months to really put together a great event, to get many different brands together and have an amazing experience. I don’t like to just have a bunch of products and do an event. I like to take my time and put brands together I know my celebrity clients and media would love to get and do a great write-up on the brands.

Funny we have had so many throughout the 16 years doing the event but I have to say the cast of 90210 came my 1st year doing the events and I grew up watching the show so it was fun! I love to see the 90s celebrity still coming out to events because it was my time when I 1st arrived in LA when I was 19. Its sounds very corny but it’s the truth.