Elvis is in the Building: Jungle Room Pop-Up Hits Nightclubs

Elvis is in the building. The King of Rock ’n’ Roll, though not actually resurrected, may be on-site in spirit in a first-of-its-kind marketing stunt that will reimagine his beloved “jungle room” from Graceland in nightclubs in three U.S. cities. The project, dubbed “Love Me (Bar) Tender,” will take place in two-night stints in October in New York, Chicago and Boston. It comes via a collaboration between Memphis Tourism and the stewards of the late artist’s charmingly garish mansion. It’s thematically connected to previous promotions, while breaking new ground in its scale and scope and tapping into the ongoing experiential trend, according to Regena Bearden, Memphis Tourism’s chief marketing officer. “Music is the primary travel motivator for Memphis, so we’ve taken the Memphis sound on the road across America and around the world” for past ad blitzes, Bearden told Adweek. “This is the first experiential pop-up where a well-known landmark has been recreated to drive awareness and engagement.” 'Full takeovers' The tourism group and the iconic destination are using “Love Me (Bar) Tender” to try to add 1 million visitors to the area, boosting the tally of 11 million total travelers in 2022, per the partners. (Graceland alone contributes about 500,000 visitors annually). The marketers have regularly targeted residents in New York and Chicago, based on past visitor data. They layered on Boston for the jungle room stunt because they were “seeing an uptick in visitation and the launch of new air service on both Delta and American,” said Bearden, creating a new pipeline from the East Coast city. Elvis Presley's Graceland partners with Memphis Tourism to boost visits to the Southern city. Competing in the crowded travel space "requires a unique and innovative approach," according to Jen Swearingen, senior director of marketing for Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. and Graceland. "Bringing a bit of Graceland" to other cities is one way to stand out. There are no renderings yet of the jungle room activations, but Bearden said they will be “full takeovers” of the selected locations, likely decked out in green shag carpeting from floor to ceiling, midcentury modern props, rock waterfalls and tiki accents. Some of the accessories and furniture will be sourced from Witco, a well-known vintage brand in the category. “We will be replicating it as close as we can to give attendees a feel for the real thing,” Bearden said, aiming to whet their appetite for a trip to Tennessee. Classic kitsch At Graceland, the “jungle room”—otherwise known as the den—debuted in 1965 as a reminder of Hawaii, a favorite Elvis travel spot. It also served as a studio where the singer recorded "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" and "Moody Blue," taking advantage of its solid acoustics for what became known as "The Jungle Room Sessions." The room has become one of the most popular stops on the current-day house tour, but guests are kept at arm’s length from the kitschy decor. The bar pop-ups will give fans their first sensorial experience of the famous island-themed setting. “Love Me (Bar) Tender” will be free—consumers can access entry times via online signups—and will include giveaways, Elvis-inspired cocktails, photo booths, music from Memphis bands and sweepstakes for Memphis vacations. Infographic: Summer Vacations Are Back (on a Budget) Influencers and media will be invited alongside consumers with the goal of social chatter and earned media. The partners also plan a variety of paid placements in the three cities and elsewhere to hype the stunt. The partners worked with C+C, a PR agency that has brainstormed and executed other activations in the travel space, along with experiential firm NRG, which will choose the venues and produce the events.

Travel Advertising News

Elvis Is in the Building: Jungle Room Pop-Up Hits Nightclubs in Major Markets

"Love Me (Bar) Tender" aims to nudge New York, Chicago and Boston residents to travel to Memphis

T.L. Stanley

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T.L. Stanley