The launch of a hot-air balloon, and even the landing, will always draw a crowd.

In flight, a hot-air balloon is difficult to miss and impossible to ignore. Think of one as a giant billboard site, but instead of a piece of street furniture that's seen yet unnoticed, this one drifts overhead, an occasional whoosh from the burner adding an audible invitation for the eye to look skywards towards the advertisement it carries.

Even the silhouette of the balloon on the horizon is sufficient to draw many motorists and walkers, away from their planned route for a closer look at this aeronautical enigma -- and the advertisement it carries.

Different media serve different purposes and while balloons are excellent for building brand or product awareness.

Ballooning is relatively safe. Balloon fly only in good weather conditions, and movements are slow. The technology is very simple, there is not much that can go wrong.