Iceberg vodka criticised over Titanic promotion

Iceberg vodka has come in for criticism from family members of two Titanic survivors, after sponsoring a party to promote a book about their life.

The vodka company are to provide drinks for a party promoting the book, which discusses the experiences of two tennis stars who survived the sinking of the Titanic.

Richard Norris Williams and Karl Behr survived the disaster and are now the subjects of a book, Titanic: The Tennis Story, published by Randy Walker.

Descendants of the pair are annoyed at the alcohol company’s role, describing it as “poor taste, really disheartening and upsetting.”

Mr Williams was a 21-year-old tennis star when he boarded the Titanic with his father.

Mr Behr also went on to a successful tennis career and was ranked in the US top ten several times.

Both of the players’ families, however, were not happy with storyline of Lindsay Gibbs book and have been further upset by the role the alcoholic company has played in the books promotion.

Iceberg vodka is manufactured by the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation, Canada and use the Titanic as part of its marketing strategy.

On the website it says, “In 1912 the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic found that out all too tragically, we do not take our Icebergs lightly.”

This weekend, 15 April 2012, marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.