Red bull drop Jesus advert

Soft drinks giant Red Bull has dropped an Italian Christmas advert featuring an extra wise man giving a can of its product to the baby Jesus.

Father Marco Damanti, from Sicily, wrote to the makers of the caffeinated energy drink denouncing their commercial as “a blasphemous act” and said today he had received a reply promising to remove it from television.

The advert depicted four wise men, instead of three, visiting Mary and the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. The fourth wise man bore a can of the soft drink.

“The image of the sacred family has been represented in a sacrilegious way,” Father Damanti said.

“Whatever the ironic intentions of Red Bull, the advert pokes fun at the nativity, and at Christian sensitivity”.

The priest also objected to the company’s slogan “Red Bull gives you wings”, said by angels in the animated advert.

The commercial is not the first to fall foul of Italian religious sensibilities.

Sony, fashion house Marithe et Francois Girbaud, and pop singer Madonna are among those whose adverts have been banned or withdrawn on the grounds of religion.