Booster Button | Beatles memorabilia

On December 23, 1963, Paul Russell, National Album Merchandising Manager for Capitol Records, sent out a memo for sales managers and regional managers. He outlined the promotional aspect of the initial "Beatles Campaign" idea. One part of the campaign was the distribution of the Beatles' "booster buttons."

Capitol Records authorized Kenmar Sales Inc. in Los Angeles to manufacture these 3" buttons, using a design from Snapix, another button manufacturer in Hollywood, CA.

The memo read: "'BE A BEATLE BOOSTER" BUTTONS' - Shortly after the first of the year, you'll have bulk quantities of a unique see-through plastic pin-on button. Inserted in each button is a shot of the Beatles, with each boy identified. What to do with the buttons? First, have all of your sales staff wear one. Second, offer them to clerks and jocks. Third, arrange for radio station give-always of the buttons. Fourth, keep some in reserve for the requirement which will be listed below under 'Tabloid.'"

A few weeks later, on February 21, 1964, Seltaeb (the U.S. Beatles merchandising company) granted Green Duck Metal Stamping Company a license to make official Beatles buttons in the U.S.

Worried about legal issues, Capitol stopped distributing their Kenmar buttons but shunned marketing Green Duck's button.

Snapix tested the license manufacturing rights and continued with the Capitol button design by manufacturing their own Beatles button (available in twelve different colors), using a different image on their celluloid piece. They advertised these buttons in Spring 1964 in various teen magazines.

As expected, the Green Duck Company threatened legal action. Snapix stopped their Beatles button campaign, defending their action by noting (from their own research) that because their market license was so limited, "it was not worth the effort to obtain a license."

Green Duck Metal Stamping Company

The Seltaeb agreement was with Green Duck Metal Stamping Company, 150 West Montana Street, Chicago, Illinois. The manufacturing license agreement was dated February 21, 1964, for “pin on button – retail and vending machines.”  Green Duck Metal Stamping Company had its merchandising license included in contracts supplied to Apple Corps Limited on August 8, 1968, by the firm Wright, Webb & Company.

Green Duck comes from the name of its founders, Greenberg and Duckheimer. By November 1, 1964, Green Duck had sold 30 million Beatles pins (that year, all presidential candidates ordered 60 million buttons). Another source listed their address as 1520 Montana Avenue.

The company was named in a NEMS Enterprises, Ltd. vs. Seltaeb, Incorporated lawsuit filed in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, First Judicial Department, dated New York, New York, July 6, 1965.

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