Esso

Esso is an international trade name used by ExxonMobil and its related companies. more...

In the United States, the name is now almost unknown, but was once the subject of much litigation between the Standard Oil companies. In 1911, Standard Oil was broken up into seven regional companies, each with the rights to the brand "Standard" in certain states. Standard Oil of New Jersey had the rights in that state, plus in Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. By 1941, it had also acquired the rights in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Louisiana. In those states, it marketed its products under the brand "Esso", standing for the letters "S" and "O" for Standard Oil. It also used the Esso brand in New York and the six New England states, where the Standard Oil Company of New York (Mobil) had the rights, but did not object to the New Jersey company's use of the trademark (ironically, the two companies have since merged.) However in the other states, the other Standard Oil companies objected and forced it to use other brand names. In most states the company used the trademark "Enco," and in a few "Humble." The other Standard companies likewise were "Standard" or some variant on that in their home states, and another brand name in other states.

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