Elvis’ Letterhead: The Evolution

4 Responses to Elvis’ Letterhead: The Evolution

1. Nondisposable Johnny says:

   March 13, 2016 at 6:18 pm

   A man of stark contradictions….even on his letterhead!

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   • sheila says:

     March 13, 2016 at 6:37 pm

     Maybe contradiction is a part of it – but I see it more as representative of the development of his career. (We’re probably saying the same thing.)

     The Colonel prominent in the first one, before vanishing in the others. 1950s Letterhead designed to answer the fan-mail from 15 year old girls – hence, all the pictures and the bubble-gum colors. 60s: he’s so famous that he is untouchable and all the letterhead needs is his name, tiny, in the corner. Anything else would seem clutter-y and redundant. (That’s my favorite one – because it’s alpha and humble at the same time. I look at that and I see an INSANELY confident performer.) 70s: back on the road, a different vibe, back out on the road amongst the people, TCB everywhere – on his planes and chains and all the rest. Unlike the 2nd letterhead – where he didn’t need anything but his name – in tiny font so that it looks like a blank page until you squint at it – the 3rd one is putting himself out there again, a “this is who I am” thing, “I mean business.”

     I love that these three exist – I’ve searched for more designs – there probably were more, I imagine – during the Army years? I should dig a little deeper, I’m sure they’re out there.

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2. Nondisposable Johnny says:

   March 14, 2016 at 5:09 am

   Oh, there’s definitely a fascinating arc there: all kinds of identifying paraphernalia….then just the name….then just the logo! A lot of self-awareness. It would certainly be interesting to know how much input he had in the design of the fifties’ version. I’d be shocked if the later versions weren’t entirely his ideas. But whether they amounted to a rejection of the earlier version or the evolution you suggest who knows? It’s certainly fun to speculate. It’s like anyone could read all kinds of things into those three designs and be totally right or totally wrong. Maybe I should have just said a man of mysteries that will never solved (lol). Definitely hope you find more, though…

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   • sheila says:

     March 15, 2016 at 6:43 am

     // It’s like anyone could read all kinds of things into those three designs and be totally right or totally wrong. //

     Ha! Exactly!!

     I would imagine that that first letterhead was all The Colonel.

     My guess is the last one was Elvis’ idea – but the second one (which is my favorite, actually – it’s so bad-ass and confident in its understatement) is a mystery. It’s hard to imagine Elvis caring about stationary, actually.

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