# Godly Betting Balloons Sportsbet's Christ the Redeemer Balloon Promotes World Cup Bets By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-06-10 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/christ-the-redeemer References: [smh.au](http://www.smh.com.au/fifa-world-cup-2014/australia-2014/betting-companys-christ-the-redeemer-stunt-20140610-zs2n7.html) & [Sportsbet.au](http://Sportsbet.com.au) Ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Sportsbet is touting a [gigantic inflatable](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/giant-inflatables) of Christ the Redeemer throughout Melbourne to encourage betting on this year's matches in Brazil. Although people often joke that passionately following [soccer is like a religion](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luce), it's usually pretty lighthearted and not as exploitative as this Sportsbet stunt. Sportsbet is no stranger to controversy but understandably, not everyone who sees this [big balloon](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/animal-balloon) seem to find it amusing. The aggressive blow-up hot air balloon shaped just like the statue of Christ the Redeemer stands tall at over 150' with a distance of about 135' from fingertip to fingertip. The Brazilian icon is adorned in robes colored with the Sportsbet brand colors and bears a bold hashtag that reads: "Keep the faith." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.4/10 - Popularity: 52% | Activity: 71% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Publicity Stunts](https://www.trendhunter.com/publicitystunts) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Inflatable Advertising:** Opportunity to create large inflatable advertisements that attract attention and promote brands in a unique and memorable way. - **Controversial Marketing Stunts:** Opportunity for companies to generate buzz and attention through controversial marketing tactics that may polarize audiences but also gain widespread media coverage. - **Branding with Cultural Icons:** Opportunity for businesses to incorporate well-known cultural icons into their branding and marketing campaigns to generate interest and engagement. ### Who This Affects Most - **Marketing and Advertising:** Opportunity for marketing and advertising companies to explore innovative and attention-grabbing methods to promote brands and products. - **Event Management:** Opportunity for event management companies to incorporate unique and eye-catching elements, such as inflatable advertisements, to enhance the experience and engagement of attendees. - **Sports Betting:** Opportunity for sports betting companies to create innovative marketing campaigns that tap into major sporting events and use cultural icons to attract bettors and increase brand recognition. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Superstitious Fan-Inspired Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-twelve-pins.md) - [Football-Themed Collectible Candles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/candle-collection-1.md) - [Buildable Sports Icons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lego-world-cup-trophy.md) - [Football Challenge Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beat-the-icon.md) - [Live Field Goal Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kick-of-destiny.md) - [Football Icon-Backed Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fifa-club-world-cup.md) - [Whimsical Soccer-Themed Illustrations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soccerthemed-illustrations.md) - [Soccer-Themed Fragrance Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brazil-and-argentina.md) - [Giant Custom Inflatables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/giant-inflatables.md)