It's been awhile since the last sighting of the King but now the Ugly Mug Coffee Company, based down the road from Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., has come out with a line of Elvis coffees for Christmas... thank you, thank you very much.
Ugly Mug Coffee has created four limited edition blends for the holiday going under the names Love Me Tender, Santa Baby, Blue Christmas and Silent Night. Consumers can get all four blends for the holiday in a special Elvis Christmas Gift Box 2006.
Ugly Mug first created Elvis Coffee last year in a deal with Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE). In addition to the limited edition Christmas roasts, Ugly Mug produces a three coffee grocery store series with the names All Shook Up, Jailhouse Rock and Thank You, Thank You Very Much. Schnucks and Kroger Mid South are among those listed on the Ugly Mug web site as carrying the company's bag coffee.
Two Elvis House Blends (one regular and one decaf) along with two Elvis hot chocolate drinks (Rock-N-Roll and Double Trouble) are currently on the Ugly Mug's menu. Next year, Ugly Mug plans to rollout its Elvis is 2007 line with four new blends (Elvis is Mellow, Elvis is Smooth, Elvis is Bold and Elvis is Sweet).
Elvis Presley Enterprises is the worldwide licensing, merchandising and business management side of the Presley estate. The King's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, owns 15 percent of the publicly traded company. Last year, EPE generated $42 million in licensing alone. Only former Nirvana lead man Kurt Cobain pulled in more for his estate ($50 million according to Forbes).
Discussion Questions: What is your reaction to Ugly Mug's Elvis coffee line? What are your thoughts on creating and marketing brands around dead celebrities as done in this case?