Memories of the Amigo Man
By Clive Cochran
Amigo Man was the brainchild of Gene Strahan. He really deserves most of the credit; it was his idea. I am not absolutely certain of the date—1974 seems about right, although it could have been a few years later. And I am not certain of Gene’s title—either marketing director or managing director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau in the early 1970s.
At that time, the CVB was one of our clients. Gary Conwell, head of our Public Relations Department, was the account executive on this project. I remember that he brought Mr. Strahan to our offices and that Gene personally explained his concept. He wanted a happy sun, with a human face, wearing a sombrero and cowboy boots. As I was the art director on the account, I sent the work to a local design studio. They made several attempts, but Gene was not happy with any of them. So, eventually, and somewhat reluctantly, I sat down and drew the Amigo Man myself. Gene was not exactly standing over my shoulder as I drew, but by keeping the elements as simple as possible, we did capture Gene’s concept and approval.
I have designed dozens of logos over the years for companies and organizations throughout the city. Many of these are still in use. However, and somewhat to my surprise, none has been nearly as popular as the Amigo Man. He went on to become El Paso’ goodwill ambassador to the world. His happy face embodies our bienvenido attitude, and since he is a sun, he symbolizes the warmth of our people and environment, and his hat and boots remind everyone of the diversity of our culture. This was exactly what Gene Strahan had in mind.
Amigo Man has undergone a few changes over the years. He has been translated onto pins and signage, and I recall an early costumed version that marched in the Sun Carnival Parade. A few yeas ago, Peter Fraire, who is now our creative director and president, redrew Amigo Man so that he now wears western gloves that go well with his sombreo and boots. I look forward to seeing the latest version.
