US BP Petrol Station Owners Seek Rebranding As Sales Fall-Report

LONDON (Dow Jones)-The owners of BP PLC's 11,300 petrol stations in the U.S. are actively considering whether to ditch the BP brand in the wake of poor gasoline sales at some outlets following the U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil spill and revert to using the Amoco brand, The Sunday Telegraph reported. BP bought Amoco, a U.S. company familiar to many Americans, in 1998 and BP's new chief executive, Bob Dudley, used to work for Amoco prior to BP's takeover of the company. John Klein, executive director of the BP Amoco Marketers Association, which represents U.S. distributors, told the newspaper that the rebranding subject was raised in nearly every conversation he has with the group's members. The members are also considering the move following vandalism at various BP petrol stations in the U.S. "They [the distributors] are interested in where the brand is going, and want it [the Amoco brand] to be returned to its premiere place," the paper quoted Klein as saying. Klein said he believed the issue will be addressed at the distributor's annual meeting with BP senior management in October. Klein and BP couldn't be reached for immediate comment. -Spencer Swartz, Dow Jones Newswires, +44 207 842 9357; spencer.swartz@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires August 01, 2010 05:49 ET (09:49 GMT)