TOTAL was the first company to clothe its driveway attendants in distinctive uniforms, a first for South Africa. Its service stations had a special appearance being painted in the companies red and blue colours, and the first petrol it sold had a blue colour.
TOTAL's entry into the agricultural market through the agricultural co-operatives was a brilliant marketing move. It revolutionised the supply of bulk fuel to farmers.
The company entered the world of motorsport sponsorship in 1957, and is still very active as a sponsor of motorsport.
TOTAL became the first private sector organisation to involve itself in supporting wildlife and environmental conservation in 1958, and continues to do so today.
In 1958 TOTAL became the first company to market lubricating oil in sealed cans.
In 1960 TOTAL achieved another first with the development of a special mines diesel. The company undertook a full scale research programme in 1960 and the diesel was used for the first time in 1961 in Anglo American mines who had played a major role in helping with the project. Later a special rock drill grease for the mines was developed by the company engineers.
The first ever DC8 aircraft seen in South Africa was refuelled by Air TOTAL in September 1961.
The introduction of the grid system for the pricing of petrol was initiated by TOTAL who convinced the other companies of the merits of the system. The industry presented the system to Government who accepted it.
A mobile film unit , mainly intended for the agricultural market, was introduced in 1960.
The first service stations to be operated by black service stations owners were built by TOTAL at Kulungisa in the Northern Transvaal and at Umlazi in Natal in 1962.
TOTAL was awarded the contract for the supply of fuel to the 22 Rolls Royce diesel powered generators serving the hydro-electric generators at the Gariep (previously Hendrik Verwoerd) dam.
The company considered driveway service so important that it introduced a training scheme for driveway attendants and employed special driveway training officers.
Dealers and TOTAL have always had a very close relationship and in 1956 the first informal dealer meeting was held. A dealer training scheme was introduced in 1959. Since then the relationship has become more formal with the establishment of regional and national dealer councils.
In 1960 Denis Motors in Kempton Park, became the first service station in the TOTAL network to have a parabolic roof structure.
In 1976 the company became the first petroleum company in the country to introduce electronic pumps on its driveways, at Travelrite Motors.
It became the first international oil company in South Africa to sell shares to a South African shareholder when TOTAL gave Volkskas a 14.3% shareholding in 1968.
Val Mickleburgh, one of South Africa's outstanding business women, was appointed the first ever woman marketing manager of an international oil company by TOTAL in 1978.
TOTAL South Africa and its parent company in France, TOTAL SA, sponsored the 1992 TOTAL Paris Sirte Le Cap marathon rally, the first major international motorsport event to come to South Africa after the country was readmitted to world sport.
In the same year the TOTAL International Triangular Cricket Series were held when the company hosted the first ever visit to South Africa by the cricket teams of the West Indies and Pakistan after the country was readmitted to international cricket.