Remembering Frank Blossom

By Dr. Adrienne Wallace

Last week, the School of Communications and the Advertising and Public Relations program lost an advocate, friend, mentor, and professor.  Frank Blossom passed away at the age of 75 on Saturday, April 2 – the day AFTER April Fools day, just so we would know it wasn’t one of his infamous pranks -leaving, well, a Frank-sized hole in the lives of those who loved him most. If you knew him, or he had helped you, then this makes a lot of sense to you already. He would be angry that I was so cliche’ in this intro by the way. 

Image by Gregg Palazzolo

Frank Blossom retired from his role as an affiliate professor in the school of communications in the advertising and public relations major in 2018. Frank was a popular, tried and true brand, a household name – not unlike the brands he helped to launch, rebrand, reposition or expand in “real life” over his decades in practice.

As successful as Frank was in the “lab” of the professional world, he was even better in the classroom. Frank’s storied career as Creative Director at Leo Burnett, D’Arcy, Noble & Associates and Felder Communications Group where he propelled top brands like Heinz Ketchup, Coca-Cola, Budweiser, Maytag, and Lay’s Potato Chips into mainstays of American culture have greatly influenced his teaching pedagogy.  

Instead of stagnating after retiring from “the industry” Frank renewed his own practice in several ways many times involving GVSU AdPR students. From founding the Polishing Center, creating student competitions such as YardSticks and the Creative Smackdown, supporting NSAC and GrandPR, to managing Frank Communications he was central in providing opportunities for critical interpretation and professional feedback jumpstarting many young creative careers. In 2010, Frank was awarded The Silver Medal, the American Advertising Federation’s highest honor to professionals who have made outstanding contributions to the advertising and marketing industry, and who have been active in furthering creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern. He championed our award-winning NSAC team as a guest judge often providing feedback critical to improvement and was always my go-to for the CreateAthon opening speaker for GrandPR, inspiring students to think creatively, even if it risks initial failure. “The risk was always worth the reward” and “it’s never crowded in going the extra mile for a client” according to Frank. If you don’t have a “Frankism” did you even know Frank Blossom?

Blossom works with a Create-a-thon team at a local PR firm offices. Photo by Adrienne Wallace.

Finally, in the last few years of his career at GVSU, Frank created “The Bloom Group” – an integrated practice model mirroring that of large firms which sought to solve many complicated real-world problems for a company: from initial client meeting, to pitch, to implementation and finally evaluation. These were not problems that were frivolous or “extra projects” for clients, they were problems that kept their CEOs awake at night sweating in fear of failure. Our GVSU teams stepped up with Frank’s nurturing and learned how to creatively solve these substantial issues often centered on the critically-important millennial and z markets.  

Frank Blossom was a champion for experiential learning and nonconformist thinking, often using techniques derived from creative problem solving and Design Thinking to solve big, hairy, audacious issues plaguing an industry or brand. Frank’s nontraditional classroom structure brought students out of the harsh lighting, ill-fitting desks, and cramped spaces known to us as Lake Superior Hall into the bright, open office environment of a downtown office space, a corporate co-working space or a creative firm to “taste real life – you know that place we keep telling students about.”  

Blossom at work with a Bloom Group on a special project. Photo by Vanessa Lansdale.

Friends of Frank have already been commenting their sorrow since his obituary ran online on Sunday, April 10.

“This one is hard,” said Alumnus Joe Buck. “Frank was by far the best professor I ever had. He taught me a lot about advertising, business, and life. I was fortunate enough to have had Frank for four different classes throughout college, and I am so happy I was able to participate in Yardsticks my senior year. Frank was a real one, and is going to be missed.”

Similar sentiments came from area professionals.

“If you work in the marcom space in West Michigan then you knew the name Frank Blossom,” said Craig Clark of Clark Communications. “For some he was a colleague, advisor, friend, teacher or mentor. For others, myself included, he was all those things. Condolences to Sam and family. Rest in peace, Frank.”

Friends, when you have an opportunity, please raise a glass – he would have preferred a pint glass, in honor of our friend and ad legend, Frank Blossom. Better yet, join our community together at an open house for sharing your Frankisms on Saturday, April 23 by RSVP-ing here: https://events.blackbirdrsvp.com/frank-open-house  as we thank him for a lifetime of career altering, incredible, and life-changing opportunities bestowed upon our exceptional students and community. 

We also encourage you to share your thoughts about Frank in the comments on this blog.

Finally, help pass on Frank’s legacy and impact on students by contributing to the Frank Fund. The fund provides finances to students to pursue professional development in advertising and public relations, such as workshops and conferences and competition fees. Frank helped establish the fund after retirement, and it was brought to full endowment level with the gifts of fellow faculty, students, alumni and professionals. The first gifts from the fund will be given beginning this fall.

Photo courtesy of the Blossom family.