Australian betting website Sportsbet stirred up some excitement (and controversy) with its guerilla marketing stunt for the World Cup last week. Over the skies of Melbourne, Australia, the gambling site launched a massive hot air balloon modeled after the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, where the World Cup is being held this month. The figure was wearing a bright yellow jersey with Sportsbet’s logo and a #KeepTheFaith hashtag.

While some were offended by the marketing ploy, it seems to have worked for Sportsbet, drumming up major attention for their website and services. It’s also arguable that the majority of those upset by the balloon were not likely going to become customers anyway, so the negative response will have minimal effects on the company.

This latest news headline is yet another example of the struggle that companies today face between being willing to undertake big, dramatic stunts to garner attention while also being mindful of potential pitfalls to their brand.  It’s often a very fine line. Sportsbet went for broke, but only time will tell if they are able to cash in…