Remembering the King: Understanding strategic management of and participation in Elvis’ Death Week

This exploratory qualitative study looks at Death Week, the annual commemoration of Elvis Presley’s death at Graceland in Memphis, TN, as a uniquely important part of tourism-based strategic public relations with a specific focus on the distinctive needs and considerations for dark tourism. Graceland, the second-most visited private home in the United States, offers a unique perspective on relationship building and maintenance, where the focus is less on awareness of Graceland and Elvis, and more on the continuation and generation of relationships to maintain interest across generations. Interviews were conducted with three public relations practitioners connected to Memphis or Elvis Presley Enterprises and 17 Death Week Candlelight Vigil participants, to better understand the promotion, delivery, and evaluation of a dark tourism experience. The impact of neo-tribes, a specific type of fandom, is also discussed as an important factor in continual relationship building with Death Week participants. The article concludes with suggestions for deepening the theoretical connection between dark tourism and public relations, and offers best practices for practitioners engaged in dark tourism relationship building.