Bravado Celebrates 60th Anniversary of The Beatles’ First US Visit with Exclusive Shopping Experience
New York, NY – February 13, 2024 – In celebration of the 60th anniversary of The Beatles visiting the US for the first time, comes an experience in partnership with Universal Music Group’s (UMG’s) leading merchandise and brand management company, Bravado, with Apple Corps Ltd. ‘The First US Visit’ Virtual Shopping Experience will allow fans to fully immerse themselves in the band’s history with exclusive merch and interactive elements.
On February 7th 1964, Beatlemania officially reached the United States when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr stepped off of Pan Am flight 101 at John F. Kennedy airport in New York City to the reception of thousands of fans and journalists. Two days later on February 9th 1964, Ed Sullivan took the stage at Studio 50 proclaiming, “Ladies and gentleman, The Beatles!” to a then record-setting audience of 75 million Americans, which to this day remains one of the Top 30 Most Watched American Television programs in history. The week that followed included an overnight visit to Washington DC, two sold out shows at New York’s Carnegie Hall and another live performance on The Ed Sullivan Show from Miami.
Beatlemania reached a fever pitch in the American consciousness, and the band’s Ed Sullivan Show appearances were a watershed cultural moment of the 1960s. Later that year, The Beatles would set out on their first, record-breaking North American tour which included stops in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Denver, Cincinnati, New York, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, New Orleans, Kansas City and Dallas.
In celebration of the milestone 60th anniversary, Bravado partnered with sister company Fame House to build a virtual, interactive shoppable experience for fans old and new to relive the band’s iconic first trip to the States. Centered around The Beatles’ famed first performance on The Ed Sullivan Show, the experience allows fans to shop new and exclusive merchandise while being taken on a journey through the band’s trip via interactive elements. Highlights include a recreation of the Ed Sullivan set from their first performance, a timeline with archival footage and interviews, a photo booth experience with the chance to be ‘The Fifth Beatle’ and digital postcards.