Elvis On A Date With Dolly Parton
They're both timeless music icons, and now through the magic of modern special effects, Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton are taking a ''Tennessee Road Trip'' in a new TV ad featuring two of the state's most renowned entertainers.
Elvis and Dolly's road-tripping commercial comes by way of the Tennessee Department Of Tourism, and will air this summer to promote travel hot spots throughout the state.
To create the effect, Dolly was digitally transplanted into a scene from Elvis' 1967 film 'Clambake.' The updated scene has the pair driving along a highway with the top down.
The commercial opens with Parton riding shotgun in a 1967 Corvette Stingray convertible, with the driver unseen. After a series of Tennessee tourist sites are pictured — Graceland and Beale Street, among them — Parton returns, and the driver is revealed.
''Let’s pick it up a little bit, honey. There’s all kinds of things to do in Tennessee,'' says Parton, who was filmed in Knoxville and then digitally placed in the car, ''But next time, let’s take the pink Cadillac.''
The spot signifies the first time Elvis has digitally appeared with another celebrity for a television commercial.
According to Dolly, the commercial was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. ''Riding in a convertible with Elvis? What more could a girl ask for?'' she gushed. ''I am so proud of my Tennessee heritage, and I am thrilled and incredibly honoured to be promoting our great state alongside the world's most legendary superstar.''
Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen commented, ''The idea behind the commercial is to bring together two international stars that symbolize Tennessee's unparalleled musical history. The commercial is a positive, energetic and unforgettable celebration of Tennessee's past, present and future.''
Both superstars have famous tourist destinations that bring visitors to the state from all over the world -- Dolly's Smoky Mountain family amusement park, Dollywood, and the King's Graceland Estate, which was recently named a National Landmark.
The ad is also part of the new ''Elvis Is'' marketing and merchandise campaign. ''When Elvis fans around the world see our branding online, in ads, on billboards and other places, they are thrilled that they can also find merchandise featuring those same designs,'' said Carol Butler, Director of Worldwide Licensing for Elvis Presley Enterprises.
Get a sneak peek behind-the-scenes tonight on ET to see how the special effects for the commercial were crafted using state-of-the-art technology!
You can watch the video at: http://elvis.com/graceland/special/video_elvis-dolly.asp
Source: Various