Sidney Frank, RIP

[cowdery]

We started to talk about the late Mr. Frank in another thread, but he deserves one of his own. Frank died in January. Here, from Forbes, is his obit.

I started this thread specifically to comment on something Gary said in the other one. Frank's genius was in building brands, not necessarily in creating them. He tended to spot something that already existed and see its undeveloped potential. One thing he seemed to be good at doing was not letting the past cloud his vision of the future. In Jagermeister, he took something that was viewed primarily as something akin to a medicine and repositioned it as a frat boy party drink. He recognized that young people are ignorant of and indifferent to history and tradition, so why not a French vodka?

I never met him, but he supposedly was a lot of fun. As I said in the other thread, one of the old lions. We won't see his kind again anytime soon.

[TNbourbon]

I found the Forbes synopsis of his life extraordinarily fascinating -- Frank didn't let pitfalls or failures impede either his self-confidence or his risk-taking. It's too late now for an autobiography, but I can see a posthumous biography gracing some business book club soon. Sort of a Sam Walton of the spirits world.

[Gillman]

Thanks gents. I always thought though Frank created Grey Goose, the whole kit and caboodle, is that not right?

Gary

[Nebraska]

I did not know of him, but from what you have described he is a person of note. Many people have ideas, many people have dreams, not many people are able look at and create and know how to market products that may not have been in our original vision. The ability to recognize, adjust, and overcome is remarkable indeed, if not rare in these days.

Not to mention that the products you have mention are widely recognized and for the most part respected by the general population.

One of the best tributes is knowing what you did, you did well, and in this case, that would be an understatement.

I feel remorseful not being able to add pertinent information to his passing, but I would feel neglectful in not acknowledging the loss.

[cowdery]

Thanks gents. I always thought though Frank created Grey Goose, the whole kit and caboodle, is that not right?

It appears that he did, so he was even more brilliant than in my original estimation. Here is another good article about him, from New York Magazine.

[Gillman]

That's a great story, thanks for posting that here. I wonder what this gentleman would have thought about the possibility of creating a bourbon brand with the oomph and prestige of Grey Goose. True, the idea might have gone against one of his tenets, which is not to enter a market where there is an undisputed leader, and Jack Daniels might be an impediment in this regard, but his thoughts would have been interesting, espcially with the Schenley background (through marriage) described in the article. I'd like to think he'd have thought it was doable.

Gary

[JeffRenner]

Here, from Forbes, is his obit.[/url

That link somehow became corrupted. Here it is again.

Jeff

[Frodo]

Great story!!!

Moral - a fool and his money are soon parted!