He's Driving with Dolly!

From USA Today:

Elvis Presely as a honky-tonk performer in Roustabout. He'll "appear" in ads with Dolly Parton.

By Theresa Howard, USA TODAY NEW YORK — The King lives, at least in the realm of digital technology.

Beginning today, Elvis Presley will appear with fellow Tennessean Dolly Parton in a television ad designed to drum up tourism for the state.

"When I go outside of Tennessee and talk about the state, there are two people that everyone knows are from Tennessee, and they are Dolly and Elvis," Gov. Phil Bredesen says. "To get the two of them together in a commercial is a home run."

It's also the result of the technology that enabled the producers to make it seem as though Parton is sitting next to Presley as he drives a red convertible in a scene from the 1967 movie Clambake.

It took six months for the ad creators, from agency Chandler Ehrlich, to get clearances to use Elvis.

Elvis Presley Enterprises — the subsidiary of CKX Inc. that owns the rights to the King's name, image and likeness — rarely approves commercial appearances.

But EPE CEO Jack Soden cleared the way for Presley, born in Mississippi, to appear for the first time alongside someone in an ad.

"It's a unique idea and clever," Soden says. "This is a fun way of inviting people from all over the country to visit Tennessee and Graceland, and we are very much part of the tourism industry."

Consumers might soon see more of Elvis. CKX, which also owns American Idol and recently bought the right to license Muhammad Ali, said last year, when it acquired 85% of EPE, that it would look for marketing ventures.

"There are all kinds of creative opportunities in the future," Soden says.

In the tourism ad, Presley appears next to Parton, the state spokeswoman for two years, who coos about Tennessee's "beauty, music and adventure."

"As we were thinking about trying to freshen up the campaign to make it more dramatic, we thought if we could match her up with another Tennessee celebrity, who would it be?" says Jerry Ehrlich, president of Memphis-based Chandler Ehrlich. "What if we could get Elvis?"

Despite high gas prices, travel watchers say most vacationers will still drive this summer.

"Historically, gas prices alone have not discouraged people from taking summer trips," says Cathy Keefe, spokeswoman for the Travel Industry Association of America. "You'll see more people driving because it's still cheaper than flying."

States want their cut of the tourism spending that accompanies those trips. According to TIAA, tourism expenditures topped $548 billion in 2003, the most recent year for which figures are available.

In 2004, Tennessee drew 45 million visitors. They spent $11.5 billion, up 8.5% over 2003, says Susan Whitaker, commissioner of tourism development. Last year, the state approved a $4.5 million supplement on top of the annual $1.5 million tourism ad budget.

Click here to watch the commercial!

From Ad Week: Elvis, Dolly Tout Tennessee May 01, 2006 By Jim Lovel

This Elvis sighting is for real.ATLANTA Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton are united through the magic of digital technology to promote tourism in their home state of Tennessee.

Chandler Ehrlich, an independent shop in Memphis, Tenn., conceived the ad, which marks the first time an image of Elvis has been digitally altered to appear with another celebrity. The spot uses a 10-second scene from the 1967 Elvis film, Clambake.

Elvis is seen driving in a red convertible with Parton beside him. Chandler Ehrlich's creative staff reviewed more than 20 hours of Elvis' films to find the scene.

The 30-second ad debuts this week in 14 Southern markets within easy driving distance of Tennessee.

"We were looking for entertainment icons who represent Tennessee and support the state's theme of "The Stage Is Set for You," so Dolly Parton and Elvis were obvious choices," said Mike Leon, chief creative officer at Chandler Ehrlich. "Their popularity transcends nationalities, cultures, even generations, and having the both from Tennessee is a true testament to the state's cultural heritage."

Leon said the staff had to isolate every detail of the film clip to insert Parton seamlessly into the scene. It took the shop almost six months to complete the spot.

"Riding in a convertible with Elvis? What more could a girl ask for?" Parton said in a statement. "I am so proud of my Tennessee heritage and I am thrilled and incredibly honored to be promoting our great state alongside the world's most legendary superstar."

Jack Soden, CEO of Elvis Presley Enterprises, said it is the first time the company has allowed anybody to digitally alter one of Elvis' films.

"We know that Elvis admired Dolly," Soden said. "And no one loved Graceland and Tennessee more than Elvis, so we agreed knowing how proud he would be to welcome the world to visit."

The campaign is being financed with a onetime $4.5 million supplement to the state's annual $1.5 million ad budget.

Original music for the spot was written and produced in Memphis by Steve Wenger at River City Sound Productions.