Designing for an Icon

Company
Elvis Presley Enterprise, Graceland

The Challenge

Elvis Week is an annual, global event that brings together fans from around the world to celebrate the life and legacy of Elvis Presley.

Each year required a new visual identity to anchor the experience across merchandise, promotions, and on-site materials, from apparel and collectibles to signage and advertising.

Despite the scale and visibility, there was no formal brand system in place.

No defined typography. No established visual language. No consistent framework to guide how the brand should evolve year to year.

The expectation was simple.

Create something worthy of the legacy.

Elvis Week Iterations by Year

  • When you’re designing for a brand like Elvis, the work is about recognition.

    The audience already knows what it should feel like. They carry a deep, emotional connection to the material, shaped by decades of music, imagery, and cultural memory.

    Without a formal system to guide decisions, the challenge became one of judgment, understanding when to reference, when to simplify, and when to step back entirely.

    Each year required a new expression of something already deeply familiar.

  • I started by building context.

    • What performances were being highlighted?

    • What moments were being honored?

    • Was the tone reflective, celebratory, or high-energy?

    Those answers became the foundation for the work.

    Each identity needed to function across a wide range of formats, from small scale merchandise to large format environmental graphics, requiring a balance of clarity, flexibility, and visual impact.

  • Concept Development
    Developed each year’s Elvis Week logo, establishing the visual direction and ensuring it aligned with both the legacy of the brand and the needs of the event.

    Historical & Cultural Interpretation
    Researched Elvis’s eras, performances, and milestones to ground each concept in a relevant and authentic point of view.

    Stakeholder Collaboration
    Partnered directly with the Chief Marketing Officer at Elvis Presley Enterprises, Graceland to align on themes, priorities, and approvals, often helping shape direction through inquiry rather than predefined briefs.

    Design Execution Across Applications
    Developed concepts that translated across merchandise, promotional materials, and on-site experiences, ensuring clarity, consistency, and usability across formats.