Sinclair Oil Corporation, founded in 1916 by Harry Sinclair, was a major American petroleum company that operated for over a century. Known for its distinctive logo and strong presence in the global oil market, Sinclair Oil was a significant player before its acquisition by HollyFrontier in 2021 and rebranding as HF Sinclair Corporation in 2022.

Logo Evolution

Sinclair's visual identity evolved significantly over the years, adapting to changing market trends while maintaining a consistent theme of bold, simple designs and a recognizable emblem featuring the company’s mascot—a dinosaur.

1916 – 192?
The first logo of Sinclair Oil, introduced in 1916, was a monochrome roundel design.

• Design: The word “Sinco” was set in a handwritten font at the center, surrounded by the words “Sinclair Oil” in uppercase around the perimeter.
• Color: The logo was executed in black and white, giving it a simple and bold appearance.

192? – 193?
In the 1920s, Sinclair’s logo was redesigned to incorporate more color and a stylized central image.

• Design: The central element was an oil tower, framed by red and green tones, with light-crème characters.
• Secondary Version: A vertically striped roundel in green and crème was used in a secondary version of the logo.
• Color: The use of red and green conveyed a sense of confidence and modernity.

193? – 1961
By the 1930s, the logo underwent another transformation, with a simpler and brighter design.

• Design: The central element was a heavy “HC” lettering in a fancy serif font with a thick black outline, set against a red background.
• Text: The phrase “Sinclair Gasoline” was added around the frame.
• Color: A brighter and lighter color palette was used, combining red, green, and white to give the logo a more contemporary and clean look.

1961 – Today
The iconic “Dino” logo was introduced in 1961 and became synonymous with Sinclair’s identity.

• Design: A bright green rectangular banner with a white horizontally-stretched crest featuring a green dinosaur silhouette. The red “Sinclair” text was placed above the dinosaur in a bold, modern sans-serif font.
• Significance: The dinosaur, affectionately known as “Dino”, became the symbol of Sinclair Oil, representing the company’s longevity, strength, and connection to the past.

1970 – 1972
In the early 1970s, Sinclair introduced a secondary badge that was used for a few years.

• Design: A navy-blue rectangular banner with white sans-serif lettering and a red rhombus-shaped emblem formed by four equal elements.
• Color: The combination of navy blue, red, and white gave the badge a more contemporary and dynamic feel.

Font and Color Palette

• Font:
  The main logo font is a narrowed title case sans-serif typeface, with clean contours and italicized features. The closest fonts to this design are likely Opinion Pro Extra Condensed Bold Italic or Manual Medium Compressed Italic, though the lettering was slightly modified with the dots above the “I”s removed.
• Colors:
  • Green: Represents growth, development, and reliability.
  • Red: Symbolizes energy, vibrancy, and passion.
  • White: Stands for transparency, trustworthiness, and clarity.

The combination of green and red in the Sinclair logo became a recognizable color scheme that communicated both energy and trust, fitting for a petroleum company.

Impact of the Sinclair Logo

For decades, the Sinclair logo with its famous dinosaur (Dino) became a cultural icon, symbolizing the company’s longstanding presence in the petroleum industry. The dinosaur mascot reflected the company’s legacy and stability, and its use of green and red colors further reinforced its identity as a reliable, energetic brand. Although Sinclair ceased to exist in its original form in 2022, its legacy and visual identity remain strongly embedded in the history of American petroleum companies.