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Writer's pictureFrances Yeager

1934 🥚 Fun Facts:The Hatching of Dino🦕✨

Updated: 6 days ago

Do You Recognize This Dino? #FunFacts

You’ve likely seen this friendly green dinosaur on road trips, perched above gas stations or stamped on signs across America. But did you know Dino has been an enduring symbol of the U.S. petroleum industry for nearly a century? This iconic Apatosaurus isn’t just a logo—he’s a cultural phenomenon born out of Sinclair Oil’s innovative marketing.

Fun Facts graphic featuring a green dinosaur statue, representing the iconic mascot associated with the U.S. petroleum industry.
Do you recognize this iconic dino? Fun facts about the U.S. petroleum industry reveal its connection to this friendly mascot!

The Hatching of Dino: How a Dinosaur Became an Icon

In 1930, Sinclair Oil’s advertising writers sparked a revolutionary idea: to link their Wellsville-refined lubricants, made from Pennsylvania-grade crude oil, to the era of dinosaurs. This creative leap drew on the belief (since debunked) that oil deposits were formed from the remains of prehistoric creatures. Thus, the iconic green dinosaur, Dino, was born.


Dino’s Early Success

Sinclair’s initial campaign featured a dozen dinosaurs, each representing the company’s strength, durability, and ties to ancient Earth. Among them, the massive yet gentle Apatosaurus captured the public’s imagination. Dino’s popularity soared, prompting Sinclair to register him as a trademark in 1932. This move marked the beginning of one of the most enduring advertising icons in American history.


A Star is Born at the Chicago World’s Fair

In 1933, Sinclair took Dino to the Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago. P.G. Alen, renowned for his lifelike papier-mâché creations for films, designed a massive dinosaur exhibit for the event. Dino and his prehistoric friends attracted over 24,000 visitors daily. The display not only showcased Sinclair’s connection to the Earth’s history but also fostered education, as the company sponsored geological materials for schools and libraries.


Black-and-white photo of dinosaur models being transported to the New York World’s Fair, representing the link between dinosaurs and the origins of petroleum.
Iconic dinosaurs on their way to the New York World’s Fair, Images: Sinclair Oil

The Stamp Collecting Craze

In 1935, Sinclair tapped into Dino’s growing fame with a creative marketing campaign: dinosaur stamps. The company distributed stamp albums and released new stamps weekly at its service stations. The campaign’s impact was staggering—the first printing of albums sold out within 48 hours after a single radio broadcast. Families flocked to Sinclair stations, and children clamored to complete their collections, cementing Dino’s place in American culture.



Vintage Sinclair Dinosaur Stamp Album cover featuring a dinosaur illustration, highlighting Sinclair Oil's use of dinosaur imagery in branding.
The Sinclair Dinosaur Stamp Album, a nostalgic nod to the company’s iconic green dinosaur and its connection to the petroleum industry.

Sinclair’s Resilience During Hard Times

Even as the Great Depression battered industries worldwide, Sinclair thrived. By 1933, it had become the eighth-largest oil company in America, boasting an impressive infrastructure:

  • 14,000 miles of pipelines

  • 6,446 railroad tank cars

  • 100,000 tons of ocean tankers

  • Nine deepwater terminals

  • 2,170 bulk plants

  • 8,100 service stations

  • 21,000 additional retail outlets

  • 20,000 employees

This period of growth set the stage for Dino to become not just a symbol of Sinclair’s products, but of its resilience and innovation.



Dino’s Legacy Marches On

The years following Dino’s introduction saw him evolve into a beloved cultural icon. From his papier-mâché beginnings at the Chicago World’s Fair to his starring role in a nationwide stamp campaign, Dino represented Sinclair’s ingenuity in connecting with consumers.

Today, Dino’s legacy endures at Sinclair gas stations, museums, and public parks, reminding us of how a clever advertising campaign can hatch an icon whose appeal transcends generations.



Black-and-white photo of the Sinclair dinosaur balloon at the 1963 Thanksgiving Day Parade, a highlight of the company’s branding history.
The Sinclair dinosaur balloon at the 1963 Thanksgiving Day Parade, celebrating the brand's iconic prehistoric mascot.

The Sinclair Oil dinosaur balloon in front of Citi Field, marking its return to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade after a 46-year hiatus.
The Sinclair Oil dinosaur balloon returns to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, making its first appearance since 1976.


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