“In 1959, the remaining oil and natural gas companies were reformed as Cities Service Oil Company. In 1964, Cities Service changed its marketing brand by introducing the name CITGO — keeping the first syllable of its name and ending with GO to imply power, according to the CITGO website.”
From that Citgo Heritage Web Page…
“In 1965, Cities Service debuted its new marketing brand, CITGO; and the now familiar “trimark” logo. Retaining the first syllable of its long-standing name and ending with “GO,” the brand symbolized energy and progressiveness.”
When I was a kid, every Monday night I would listen to the Cities Service Band of America conducted by Paul LaValle. The program aired on a.m radio from 1948 to January of 1956. I thought that when I was old enough to own a car, I would always fill the tank with Cities Service gasoline. After Cities Service quit sponsoring the band, I figured I wouldn’t buy Cities Service products. I don’t think there are any Citgo stations in my community these days.
After Citgo became an arm of the Venezuelan government, I stopped buying gas from their stations. I’m pretty sure that–like me–you wouldn’t want to do anything to support the totalitarian government in Venezuela, which is a major violator of human rights, so even if they return to sponsoring your favorite band, I don’t think that you should buy their products.
It’s only me but I suspect another marketing blunder or at least a brand not being worth what they paid the experts for it. Sure I remember cities service, but I never related that orange triangle and Citgo, just never even thought about it. Total blank. Orange triangle a meaningless symbol. Can’t remember ever buying from them but now I’ll put them in the same place as bp under my unfavored company list. It is getting pretty long though.
I’ve never seen that name. In this area we have a chain of gas stations called “Rotten Robbie”. Said to have that name b/c they undercut the price, annoying the other stations owners.
Terrible Herbst? I would have called it “Horrible Herbst”, more poetic, alliterative.
Well in as much as this thread is still going I liked the TV show Dinosaurs, many of the main characters had the names of gas/oil companies. Leading character, the Dad, was Earl Sinclair.
Sinclair left the Eastern US marketplace back around 1970, following purchase of the company by ARCO, but some Sinclair stations are beginning to pop-up again here, and in neighboring states. A few days ago, I saw one in PA and their sign said something about “Dinocare”. Assuming that they’re not resurrecting dinosaurs and nurtering them, I’m guessing “Dinocare” indicates that this station features repairs, in addition to gas.
Maybe this is why The New Yorker always refuses to publish my poetry … lol …I get one rejection slip after another.
Rotten Robbie brand only. I doubt they have their own refinery, so the product they sell is probably the same or nearly the same as a branded gasoline.
Like I said before there is a Sinclair station on the far western edge of Minnesota. The only one I know of but I don’t recommend the attached snack bar. On 75 outside of Ivanhoe. Mostly Germans there and an eager city patrolman. Yeah, I was stopped there too.
Who knew there were that many but they didn’t list Ivanhoe. Actually I’ve been through most of those towns in minnesota and South Dakota but never paid any attention to the Sinclair stations. The one in Algona, Iowa though is a little out of the way but worth the trip. They have the ww2 prisoner of war camp museum there. The stories involving the German pow’s are really interesting. Farmers would hire them to work the farms because all the men were gone. German families would come pick them up for church and take them back after Sunday dinner. Quite well behaved and only two tried to escape. Didn’t see any for clear lake or Mason city, buddy holly crash site. You can do both in the same day. You should take a field trip and write a book.
My father in law would have been thrilled to be in that prison camp. He was a German POW in an English prison camp near the Denmark/Germany border. They were underfed, overcrowded, and in filthy conditions. He was also a farm boy with dairy experience, and working on a farm and living n a dormitory and in a very safe environment would have been a dream come true for him.
L…