Lionel Sosa

Biography

Sosa grew up in San Antonio, Texas. After graduating from Lanier High School, Sosa served in the United States Marine Corps. In his twenties he designed many logos, including the Ricos drop of flavor, and worked at Texas Neon designing neon and plastic signs, eventually opening his graphic design studio, SosArt.

Sosa entered political advertising by supporting John Tower. With Sosa's support, Tower won 37% of the Hispanic vote. The previous Hispanic best vote percent for a statewide republican candidate had been below 8%.

The success of Sosa's agency in the Tower campaign led several national companies, including Coca Cola and Coors, and In 1980 Sosa created a new Agency, Sosa and Associates (most recently Bromley Communications) and eventually Sosa and Associates became the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the United States.

Sosa's experience with Touer led him to become active in presidential politics, serving as an adviser to the Republican campaigns, including those of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.

Sosa was named one of the twenty five most influential Hispanics in America by Time Magazine. Sosa has also been named to the Texas Business Hall of fame.

In June 2016, Sosa wrote an op-ed in his hometown newspaper calling on the Republican presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump to apologize for his comments on Mexican immigrants. Sosa stated that it was likely that he would leave the Republican party if Trump won the nomination at the 2016 Republican National Convention. In late August 2016, Sosa joined Gary Johnson's presidential campaign as co-chair of Hispanic outreach. Thereafter, in October 2016, Sosa changed his voting intentions to supporting Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, as to "make a statement that Donald Trump cannot win."