Kalshi and Polymarket Launch Athlete Ad Campaigns Ahead of World Cup and NBA Finals

Kalshi has released a series of celebrity advertisements featuring famous athletes to capitalize on the NBA Finals and the FIFA World Cup. The ads show the Kalshi logo but omit the trading interface, directing attention to the athletes themselves. Soccer player Lionel Messi joined Kalshi's roster through a partnership with the Asociación del Fútbol Argentino.

A recent social media campaign also features Argentina national team players Nicolás Otamendi and Rodrigo De Paul, both of whom have promoted Kalshi on their personal accounts. Kalshi launched separate campaigns with Croatian soccer player Luka Modrić through a partnership with the Croatian Football Association, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, and several other international soccer stars.

The platform also struck a multi-year deal with actor Timothée Chalamet.

A Kalshi spokesperson said the World Cup was a natural time to roll out new campaigns given its cultural significance and impact on the sports world. The goal of the celebrity ads is to drive brand awareness, the spokesperson added, noting there is merit in having partners post because they have a lot of fans.

Elizabeth 'Zab' Johnson, a visual marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, stated that Kalshi's platform focuses on sports betting and predictions and is capitalizing on a market happening now.

Kalshi competitor Polymarket plans to announce new partnerships soon, according to a Polymarket spokesperson. Kalshi and Polymarket have already inked major deals with news outlets, the National Hockey League, and Venmo. Neither company disclosed how much it is spending on the celebrity campaigns.