Last year, American Express marked its 175th anniversary with an intimate Brooklyn concert featuring Gracie Abrams.A year later, the company is taking the same idea of bringing card members closer to the artists they love, but stretching it across cities, tour dates, and even globally.
Harry Styles is the newest example of that strategy.
Amex has attached itself to nearly every part of Styles’ “Together, Together” tour and his album, “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.” From album release events and exclusive merch to presale tickets for the tour and a global sweepstakes, the partnership is broad in both content and scale. The album pop-ups alone span 16 cities. In New York, the East Village pop-up will run alongside Styles’ 30-show Madison Square Garden residency through November 1.
The scale may be new, but the strategy isn’t.
Access that feels real
For several years, Amex has been building a music portfolio around artists attractive to Gen Z and younger millennials, including Oliate McRae. The format changes depending on the fandom, whether that be an intimate performance, a tour-bus activation, or an album pop-up, but the offer stays consistent: Amex gives fans ways to get closer to an artist they love
The mission statement makes access feel less like a vague brand promise and more like an actual product.
“I believe in the power of fandom to connect Amex to our members,” said Bess Spaeth, executive vice president of global brand management and experiences at American Express. “We understand what they are most passionate about, whether that is music, sports, travel or dining, and we work hard to make those experiences more meaningful for them.”
For Amex, access is how that idea becomes tangible. It can mean getting a ticket before the general public, buying merchandise made for card members, or stepping inside an experience built around the release of a new album.
“We unlock access for members that only Amex can provide at the moments we know our members are most passionate about,” Spaeth said. “We meet fans where they are and create moments that feel more special.”
Styles gives Amex a useful canvas because his fan base is global, deeply engaged in pop culture, and likely even more committed after following him from his One Direction days until now. According to Amex, 92% of music fans want to feel a deeper connection to their favorite artist.
Fans don’t just want the concert; they want the merch, the feeling of getting something exclusive, and the chance to be there early.
