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Vladimir Smirnoff

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Entrepreneur

The Resume

    (January 1, 1848-1939)
    Exclusive vodka merchant to the Czar of Russia
    Son of Piotr Arsenyevitch Smirnov, who opened the Trading House of PA Smirnov Distillery
    Sentenced to death by firing squad (escaped)

Why he might be annoying:

    He changed the family name, Smirnov, to the French spelling.
    His business partner, Rudolph Kunett, brought Smirnoff Vodka to the United States during the Great Depression. It was a failing product, even among Russian immigrants (March 1934).
    He wore a dopey mustache.
    He sold the family name to Rudolph Kunett and today Smirnoff's family is fighting to regain legal rights to the name.
    Vladimir's great-great nephew Boris Smirnov labeled him a 'rogue' and a con man who had no right to sell the family name.

Why he might not be annoying:

    During the Russian revolution, he narrowly escaped his death sentence for being associated with the Czar. White Russian troops saved his life and helped him flee the country.
    He arrived in Paris, France broke and posthumously turned his vodka business into an empire.
    His father invented continuous distillation, which kept the quality of his vodka consistent.
    Smirnoff is the world's sales leader of Vodka.

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 6 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 9 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 29 Votes: 13.79% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 17 Votes: 41.18% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 17 Votes: 29.41% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 35 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 33 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 42 Votes: 38.10% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 115 Votes: 44.35% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 160 Votes: 44.38% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 283 Votes: 43.11% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 289 Votes: 43.25% Annoying
    In 2003, Out of 196 Votes: 32.65% Annoying