{"product_id":"the-beatles-let-it-be-ビートルズ-レット-イット-ビー-original-japanese-b2-movie-poster-1970-b2-size-c-51-73-cm-p15-copy-1","title":"“THE BEATLES” (March 1971) – ULTRA-RARE GIANT JAPANESE TWO-SHEET “APPLE JAM” PROMOTIONAL POSTER – TOSHIBA \/ APPLE RECORDS – APPROX. 73 × 200 CM \/ 28.7 × 78.7 in (Gallery)","description":"\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUltra Rare Japanese Beatles Memorabilia | Monumental Two-Metre Display | Original Toshiba Tape Promotion | Apple Records Branding | “20,000 Customers” Advertising Version | Meidi-Ya Apple Jam Connection | Two Original Sheets, Joined | Very Good Vintage Condition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eDiscover the Japanese promotional story behind this extraordinary Beatles display—a remarkable intersection of music, photography, advertising and Apple-branded memorabilia.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eA monumental, \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal Japanese two-sheet promotional poster for The Beatles\u003c\/strong\u003e, advertising Toshiba’s \u003cstrong\u003e“Apple Jam” tape-purchase campaign\u003c\/strong\u003e in an exceptionally striking vertical format. Measuring approximately \u003cstrong\u003e73 × 200 cm \/ 28.7 × 78.7 in\u003c\/strong\u003e, it presents four enormous photographic panels above a vivid Japanese advertising strip, creating a display of remarkable presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis is not a standard Japanese B2 poster, a concert announcement or an ordinary decorative Beatles print.\u003c\/strong\u003e It is a purpose-made music-retail advertisement, with its original commercial message preserved across the bottom: purchase a Beatles tape and receive a Beatles-branded tin of \u003cstrong\u003e“APPLE JAM.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003ePrinted in \u003cstrong\u003etwo separate sheets of approximately 73 × 100 cm, now joined\u003c\/strong\u003e, the assembled poster stands over six and a half feet tall. Its surface area is approximately equivalent to \u003cstrong\u003efour standard Japanese B2 posters\u003c\/strong\u003e, yet its relatively narrow proportions make it a particularly effective vertical display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe combination is exceptional: \u003cstrong\u003elate-Beatles photographic imagery, rich green borders, colourful Toshiba branding, the Apple Records emblem and an unusual promotional gift\u003c\/strong\u003e, all brought together for the Japanese market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003ePreviously displayed and retaining evidence of its working life, this example remains in \u003cstrong\u003every good vintage condition overall\u003c\/strong\u003e, with strong colour and an impressive visual presentation. Crucially, the lower promotional panel survives, preserving the detail that makes this much more than a spectacular portrait poster: \u003cstrong\u003ea specific, tangible snapshot of Japanese Beatles culture at the beginning of the 1970s.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eDate \u0026amp; Japanese Promotional Context\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis poster was issued in \u003cstrong\u003eMarch\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e1971\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eIts historical setting follows the Japanese theatrical arrival of \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLet It Be\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, which opened in Japan on \u003cstrong\u003e25 August 1970\u003c\/strong\u003e. Although closely associated with the film’s visual world and promotional memorabilia, \u003cstrong\u003ethis particular poster advertises Toshiba’s Beatles tapes\u003c\/strong\u003e, rather than cinema screenings. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eDirected by \u003cstrong\u003eMichael Lindsay-Hogg\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cem\u003eLet It Be\u003c\/em\u003e documented the group’s January 1969 rehearsals and recording sessions, culminating in the celebrated performance on the roof of the Apple building in London. The project provides the essential background to the late-period Beatles imagery associated with this campaign. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe distinction matters: this is a \u003cstrong\u003eJapanese retail-promotion survivor from the immediate post-\u003cem\u003eLet It Be\u003c\/em\u003e period\u003c\/strong\u003e, not simply a theatrical poster with an additional sponsor’s logo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe Beatles \u0026amp; Beatlemania in Japan\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe Beatles’ relationship with Japan forms an important chapter in their international history. Their \u003cstrong\u003e1966 visit and five Japanese performances\u003c\/strong\u003e, including the celebrated appearances at Tokyo’s \u003cstrong\u003eNippon Budokan\u003c\/strong\u003e, became enduring reference points for Japanese fans. The Budokan concerts also helped establish the venue’s subsequent identity as a major setting for international popular music. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eBy the time of this poster’s probable production, the group’s breakup had become public and \u003cem\u003eLet It Be\u003c\/em\u003e had reached audiences during that transition. Nevertheless, the Beatles continued to be presented as a collective identity through their recordings and associated imagery. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis poster makes that continuing commercial life visible.\u003c\/strong\u003e All four members appear within a single, unified composition, while the Japanese text promotes an extensive tape catalogue and offers fans a physical souvenir connected with the band.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eFor collectors, original Japanese posters and promotional objects from this era have a particular fascination. They preserve not only the Beatles’ image, but also \u003cstrong\u003ethe way that image was interpreted, packaged and encountered in Japan\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eHere, that appeal is unusually concentrated: \u003cstrong\u003ea monumental format, distinctive Japanese advertising, Apple-era branding and an unexpectedly memorable gift promotion\u003c\/strong\u003e. It is an evocative expression of Japanese Beatlemania extending beyond the concert hall and into the everyday world of record shops, home listening and collecting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eDesign Notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe poster’s impact comes from its disciplined, almost architectural composition. Four substantial photographic panels are stacked vertically, with each image given its own space inside a continuous \u003cstrong\u003edeep green surround\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe panels are individually captioned, from top to bottom:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePAUL McCARTNEY — JOHN LENNON — GEORGE HARRISON — RINGO STARR\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eRather than presenting a single formal group photograph, the design builds its identity through four separate images. Microphones, instrumental detail and tightly cropped portraiture create an informal, immediate atmosphere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eParticularly effective features include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe towering four-panel arrangement\u003c\/strong\u003e, giving each photograph exceptional scale while maintaining a unified composition.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe rich green borders and fine dividing rules\u003c\/strong\u003e, which provide structure and contrast with the warm photographic tones.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe bright orange-yellow advertising strip\u003c\/strong\u003e, introducing a bold change of colour beneath the final portrait.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe combination of English captions, Japanese typography, Apple Records branding and the illustrated promotional tins\u003c\/strong\u003e, firmly locating the design within its original Japanese campaign.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe lower band is not a visual afterthought. It completes the composition, balancing the photographic imagery above with a compact concentration of lettering, logos and product illustration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom a distance, the poster functions as an enormous photographic display. Up close, it becomes a remarkably detailed piece of period advertising.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe “Apple Jam” Campaign: Toshiba, Apple Records \u0026amp; Meidi-Ya\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe multicoloured branding at the bottom reads:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e東芝カラーパック\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eToshiba Color Pack\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe principal promotional heading reads:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eビートルズ「APPLE JAM」プレゼント\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBeatles “APPLE JAM” giveaway\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe accompanying Japanese text announces, in translation:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe complete range of 72 Beatles tape products is available from Toshiba. Buy one Beatles tape now, and the first 20,000 customers will receive Beatles “APPLE JAM” as a gift. Please enquire at your nearest tape retailer for details.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis wording establishes the poster’s purpose. It was designed to \u003cstrong\u003eencourage purchases of Toshiba’s Beatles tapes through a gift-with-purchase offer\u003c\/strong\u003e, directing customers to participating music retailers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe pictured green tins carry Beatles imagery and Apple-themed packaging. The foreground illustration also includes:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e非売品\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot for sale\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThat detail identifies the pictured gift as a \u003cstrong\u003epromotional item\u003c\/strong\u003e, rather than an ordinary retail product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eApple had been publicly introduced as the Beatles’ business venture in \u003cstrong\u003e1968\u003c\/strong\u003e. Here, its identity is given a wonderfully literal commercial expression: \u003cstrong\u003eApple-branded recordings promoted through apple jam\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe survival of this advertising panel is central to the poster’s historical appeal.\u003c\/strong\u003e It preserves the actual offer, the retailer-directed instructions and the appearance of the promotional packaging—details that would be lost if the poster were reduced to its photographic panels alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe “20,000 Customers” Version \u0026amp; Reported First-Printing History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis example retains the clearly printed offer to the first \u003cstrong\u003e20,000 customers\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eIt is widely acknowledged within the Japanese collecting community that this figure was a printing error, subsequently corrected to \u003cstrong\u003e20 recipients in April 1971\u003c\/strong\u003e, and that the later giveaway was ultimately not carried out. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe Giant Two-Sheet Format \u0026amp; Why Survival Matters\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eAt approximately \u003cstrong\u003e73 × 200 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e, this is a substantial departure from a conventional music poster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe design was produced in \u003cstrong\u003etwo sections\u003c\/strong\u003e, each approximately \u003cstrong\u003e73 × 100 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e, which have been joined to create the complete vertical display. Its assembled area is approximately \u003cstrong\u003e3.9 times that of a standard Japanese B2 poster\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eIts proportions are especially distinctive: \u003cstrong\u003ealmost two and a half feet wide and over six and a half feet high\u003c\/strong\u003e. The result has the presence of a large display panel while requiring much less horizontal wall space than a broad billboard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis is best described as a \u003cstrong\u003egiant two-sheet retail promotional poster\u003c\/strong\u003e. It should not be confused with a standard theatrical tatekan, a station-poster allocation or a concert billboard: its own advertising text identifies a music-retail purpose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eA poster of this size presents obvious practical challenges for handling, storage and preservation. Its edges, corners and joined area are vulnerable, particularly when the object has actually been mounted and displayed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis example is a used advertising survivor, not an unused sheet that remained untouched in storage.\u003c\/strong\u003e Its pinholes and handling wear are part of its physical history, while the continued strength of the imagery allows the original design to retain its impact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eCondition Report\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOverall condition: Very Good+ vintage condition, with strong colour and an impressive display presentation.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe poster has been \u003cstrong\u003epreviously displayed\u003c\/strong\u003e and shows the expected evidence of mounting, handling and age. Its two original printed sections have been joined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eVisible condition characteristics include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePinholes\u003c\/strong\u003e, including multiple holes in some marginal and corner areas.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHandling creases, surface wear and small tears\u003c\/strong\u003e, with some tears extending slightly into the printed image.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge abrasions, small chips and minor marginal paper losses\u003c\/strong\u003e, including wear around the lower advertising section.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge-related spotting, discolouration and handling marks to the reverse.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eDespite these issues, the principal photographic composition remains highly effective. The \u003cstrong\u003egreen surround, warm photographic tones and orange-yellow promotional panel\u003c\/strong\u003e retain strong visual contrast, and the campaign wording remains clearly legible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe overall impression is of a striking vintage display with visible history—not a pristine or unused example. \u003cstrong\u003eConsidering its exceptional scale and previous display, it presents very well and would make a remarkable framed centrepiece.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthenticity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original Japanese period promotional poster—not a reproduction or modern reprint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConstruction:\u003c\/strong\u003e Two original printed sheets, now joined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDocumentation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Japan Poster Shop Certificate of Authenticity included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003ePlease refer to the photographs provided; \u003cstrong\u003ethis is the exact poster offered\u003c\/strong\u003e, including the detailed views of its front, edges and reverse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eSummary\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eAn \u003cstrong\u003eultra-rare and visually extraordinary Japanese Beatles promotional poster\u003c\/strong\u003e, combining a monumental two-metre format with a particularly memorable piece of Apple-era advertising.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis is not simply an oversized portrait poster. Its surviving lower panel identifies an original \u003cstrong\u003eToshiba tape-purchase campaign\u003c\/strong\u003e, complete with colourful \u003cstrong\u003eToshiba Color Pack branding, the Apple Records emblem, illustrated promotional tins and the printed “20,000 customers” offer\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe photographic sequence provides the immediate impact. The Japanese advertising provides the history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003ePrinted in \u003cstrong\u003etwo original sheets, now joined\u003c\/strong\u003e, and retaining evidence of previous display, this example survives in \u003cstrong\u003every good vintage condition overall\u003c\/strong\u003e, with a powerful presentation and the campaign’s essential identifying details intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn exceptional piece of Japanese Beatles memorabilia—monumental in scale, distinctive in design and unusually rich in period character.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Japan Poster Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57288936391034,"sku":null,"price":2000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/sunroom-with-plants-and-a-chaise-lounge.jpg?v=1789978589","url":"https:\/\/japanposter.co.uk\/products\/the-beatles-let-it-be-%e3%83%93%e3%83%bc%e3%83%88%e3%83%ab%e3%82%ba-%e3%83%ac%e3%83%83%e3%83%88-%e3%82%a4%e3%83%83%e3%83%88-%e3%83%93%e3%83%bc-original-japanese-b2-movie-poster-1970-b2-size-c-51-73-cm-p15-copy-1","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}