XD60014a “THE NEW SINCLAIR RAPID CHARGE SYSTEM” 1960s GASOLINE CREDIT CARD PROMOTIONAL CARTOON

This 1960s color cartoon film produced by Sinclair Refining Company promotes the Sinclair Rapid Charge System credit card to dealers and shows its parts and use. The film begins with a cartoon orchestra playing, and then segues to a map of the United States, highlighting Sinclair customer locations in red. A cartoon Model T-style car pulls up to a Sinclair Gasoline station with the Sinclair H-C logo (1:07). Sinclair was the first U.S. oil company to develop high-octane gasoline, known as H-C, in 1926. A more modern car then pulls up to a 1960s Sinclair H-C service station (1:11). A graphic shows $4 paid by the average credit card customer versus the $2 paid by a cash buyer (1:35). The modern car drives past an ABC Service station (1:47), XYZ Gas (1:48), and stops at a Sinclair service station (1:55). A bagpiper from the orchestra stands next to a Power-X pump (2:01). The same car drives past gas stations with “Cut Prices” and “Discount” signs to stop at a Sinclair station (2:13). A cartoon man in a suit and hat holds a Sinclair credit card next to a man holding 2 dollars (2:24). The inside of the Sinclair station is shown, with tires and a Good Year Tires sign visible (2:42). A screen with the text “SINCLAIR RAPID-CHARGE System” is shown in front of an audience, and a voiceover describes the system parts, including an imprinter, bracket and straps, plastic credit card, metal clipboard, New Form 2056, and dealer name plate (3:12). The video then describes each component in turn. Red and white Sinclair credit cards are shown with June 30, 1959 written in black as the first expiration date (3:50). A dealer name plate is shown with the text “COMMUNITY S-S DETROIT MICH 5160.” (3:56). Two Sinclair pump island poles are shown next to each other, one with Sinclair H-C Gasoline at the top and the other with “Sinclair POWER-X The Super Fuel,” as the video explains where each part goes on the pump island pole (4:33). The video zooms in on each part as it explains how to install it. The imprinter is placed on top of the bracket and straps. Lifting the imprinter handle, the dealer name plate goes on to the imprinter bed (4:52). Arrows point to 2 screws to install the plate and the dating device. An arrow points to CIC tickets (the 2056 Forms) under the imprinter right-hand drawer (5:09). An arrow points to a lock and slot on the left-hand door. The process of operating the system is shown. Two hands exchange a Sinclair credit card out a driver’s side window (5:33). A hand places the card on the imprinter bed, and then a CIC ticket on top (5:44). The hand moves the imprinter handle down, removes the ticket, and puts it on the clipboard. A CIC ticket close-up is shown with “80%” bolded in black text over it (6:02). The machine makes a copy of the customer’s information, and the dealer fills in the sales details, license plate number, and state. A slide explains the system’s benefits for both the dealer and customers, showing a cartoon Sinclair employee in an olive green uniform and three customers, two men and a woman, as bullet points are shown in black text (7:17). $12 a year is shown in black text as the cost of the Sinclair system (8:47). The film ends with a customer holding a letter that says, “We are happy to present your NEW SINCLAIR PLASTIC CREDIT CARD.” (9:06).

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