And now, from the category of Big Companies Moving Slowly: Five years after British Petroleum Co. acquired Amoco Corp. in a $48.2-billion deal, Amoco gas stations in the Tampa Bay area are receiving a "BP" makeover.
Keen-eyed drivers may have noticed the changes at some area locations. Out is Amoco's red, white and blue motif; in is BP's green, gold and white color scheme and signs. Though mostly cosmetic, the four-year, $300-million rebranding project is winning kudos from customers for its "very clean, very inviting" look, BP spokesman Scott Dean says.
Around the bay area, 176 Amoco and older BP stations are getting the upgrade. The newer BP design includes more gold and replaces the British conglomerate's 70-year-old shield logo with a sunburst symbol, known to the BP staff as a helios. In Greek mythology, the sun god Helios drove across the sky every day in his chariot.
Whether Amoco customers will recognize the green coloring as a symbol of eco-friendliness or the sunburst as a nod to solar power, as intended, is unclear.
Though the rebranded stations won't accept Amoco gas cards, which have been converted to BP cards, they will continue to sell Amoco-brand gasoline. Company research showed it was too popular to drop.
"A lot of your Harleys and better boats require Amoco premium because it's a clear gas," said Michelle Percival, co-owner of Dave & Michelle Amoco at 7424 4th St. N, St. Petersburg.
Percival's station is floating in a kind of brand purgatory at the moment. Over the New Year's weekend, a crew of workers repainted the building in BP colors. But they haven't been able to replace the big Amoco sign yet. Some sort of trouble with city permits, Percival said.
