February 1922 — Reader’s Digest Established
Reader’s Digest, a coffee table standard in thousands of homes, was launched in 1922. Founded by World War I soldier DeWitt Wallace and his wife Lila, the monthly began as a sampling of condensed articles from various magazines with an initial run of 1500 copies. It now publishes more than 40 editions in 21 languages.
February 1964 — Beatlemania Hits America
Courtesy of United Press International
The Fab Four arrive at New York’s recently renamed JFK airport on February 7, 1964, greeted by scores of screaming fans. Shortly after their arrival, a jam-packed televised press conference captures the beginning of what is known as the British Invasion in music history. Among the humorous questions reporters asked, “Does all that hair help you sing?”
February 2011 — the Most Expensive Seconds on TV
Celebrating 50 years, the Super Bowl has become an unofficial holiday for not only football fanatics but also corporate advertisers, who’ve shelled out millions for seconds of viewers’ attention. In 2011, Chrysler aired a two minute commercial highlighting the spirit of Detroit and starring the city’s own Eminem, to the tune of $12.4 million, or $3.1 million for a half-minute. It remains the most expensive Super Bowl ad to date.
