An advert for the Red Bull energy drink has been sharply criticized by descendants of Titanic passengers and crew.

The advert shows a crate of Red Bull being winched aboard a ship. The captain says that only Champagne is to be taken aboard his ship to which the winch man replies - using the Red Bull strapline - that Red Bull gives you wings, the Captain asks why they might possibly want wings... as the crate is lowered the ship is revealed to be the Titanic.

It was reported that as many as 100 people had complained about the advert to the British Advertising Standards agency. The complainants maintain that the advert is disrespectful. If the ASA investigates the complaints it is possible that the advert could be banned.

The Titanic has often been portrayed in a humourous and satirical manner. 'Gallows humour' is nothing new and the publicity attracted by the complaints about the advert will justify its approach in the minds of the Red Bull marketing department.

The extent to which the Titanic has been used as a metaphor in modern culture has been explored in an article by Monica Hall: Titanic as Metaphor.