Rapper Eminem’s new album ‘Relapse’ is receiving a heavy marketing push using experiential marketing. 

A mock “rehab” centre was set up in Covent Garden last week to publicise the release of the ‘Relapse’ album which involved lookalikes wandering round the vicinity and giant “E” signs to direct passer-by to the centre.  Visitors to the rehab’ centre were able to receive ‘treatment’ in the form of listening to part of the album, get Eminem ‘aftermath drugs’ or have a massage. 

Since Eminem has had a well-publicised battle with drugs and wrote most of the album’s material whilst in rehab, the marketing campaign might be a little tasteless for those who have real problems with narcotic abuse, but this is a man who has rapped about many tasteless and shocking elements of his life so it’s entirely fitting for the artist.

With budgets across the marketing world low, this type of campaign, drawing on creating PR and word of mouth through experiences and online elements, may well be a popular trend for 2009. It has impact far beyond its financial spend with the right audience. I’m not sure the Eminem campaign does anything particularly new, but it will probably work.