Zippo lighters are not just ordinary lighters; they are a class apart. We know quite a few people who own a collection of Zippo lighters. They do not treat zippo lighters as a mundane accessory but rather treat them as a part of their wardrobe. And, why would they not? Zippo lighters have everything that it takes to get the heads turning; they are classic, sleek, chic, and flamboyant. No matter what the situation is, you can always count on your zippo lighter. Oh! Did we tell you that every lighter belonging to the zippo family is wind resistant, dual flam, and can perform in every season?
If you are a zippo fan, we find it too monotonous for you to talk about the making and working and benefits and perfection of a zippo lighter. Instead, let us talk about some cool facts, which we are sure many of you must not be aware of.
Brace yourselves to get amazed!
Zippo lighters have roots in Austria:
Well, not exactly though! On a fine day in Bradford, Penn, in the year 1932, George Blaisdell saw an acquaintance using and struggling with a lighter that had a protective top. On inquiring, Blasidell got to know that the lighter was from Austria and people used it as they believed it was the best option they had.
Blaisdell decided to make his version of the lighter. He called it a Zippo because he liked the sound of the word “zipper.” The first models were made by Blaisdell along with his two daughters and sold in 1933 for $1.95 (a little over $35 in today's money).
Zippo suffered a rough start:
Zippo lighter had its fair share of ups and downs. Probably, the timing of Zippo’s launch coincided with the depression. In 1936, Zippo made its first ad appearance in Esquire. The ad was a total flop ad with it the company lost all hopes of a bright future.
Brilliant ad campaign—the fan test:
You need to show it to sell it. Well, this went true for the Zippo lighters. The brilliant chimney design of the lighter enabled it to stay lit even in the strongest of breeze. The company touted this feature in ad campaigns. The advertisement challenged the readers to hold the lighter in front of the fan to show that it could withstand strong winds.
The fan tests helped zippo win many converts.
Sometimes war does you good—at least the second world war did that for Zippo:
World war 2 was perhaps the biggest turning point in the history of Zippo, after suffering a setback for almost a decade. Zippo started selling to the military. American troops could buy lighter from Army Exchanges or Ship stores. However, soldiers in Penn got theirs for free. The men on the front lines found the study design a great fit for combat situations.
Back in those days, Zippo became the most coveted thing on the battlefield.
Even a fish helped Zippo in spiking its sales
Zippo lighter’s tough and sturdy make played a vital role in capturing a great market share. The company took due advantage of this feature and used it in postwar ad campaigns too.
A fish and game officer narrated a story of a fisherman who caught a giant fish and found a zippo lighter in its stomach. When the fisherman flipped, the lighter was still working.
This printed ad made a lot of noise in the market.
The company has a single manufacturing unit:
Even with an annual sales of 12 million pieces, all Zippo lighters are manufactured in a single factory in Bradford, Penn. The company has less than 1000 employees.
Every Zippo has a lifetime warranty:
If you break your Zippo’s neck, you can still salvage it for free. Every Zippo lighter comes with a lifetime warranty. You can claim free repairs regardless of the date of purchase.
This offer of Zippo lighters has earned a fair share of loyal customers. Zoppi claims to have fixed over 8 million lighters.
Zippo is not just a lighter—it is a lifesaver!
On two recorded accounts, zippo has saved lives. A Vietnam veteran got saved from a deadly bullet as he had a zippo lighter in his pocket that his wife had gifted.
Another man in 2010 got saved from a bullet wound because of a zippo in his pocket.
In the same year, Zippo made it to TIME’s list of 100 best items of all time.
Zippo has a Museum!
If you are a Zippo fan and are keen to know about Zippo lighter’s history, check out the Zippo repair clinic, and want to see an American flag made from 3000 Zippo lighters, you ought to visit the Zippo museum in Penn.
You can even see the first lighter and the 500 millionth lighter manufactured by Zippo. They look almost similar, although the older one is a little bigger. The first lighter has a business card tied to the side. On it, Blaisdell wrote: “First Zippo lighter—do not touch.” According to Zippo's Corporate Media and Communications Manager Patrick Grandy, it's the most visited museum in northern Pennsylvania.
Zipp has a collector’s club!
We told you, that Zippo is not a mundane gadget. Men consider it as a part of their wardrobe and many men have a collection of Zippo lighters.
What is more interesting is that there are around 14 Zippo lighter collector’s clubs around the world. Even Japan and China have Zippo fan and collector’s clubs.
Take away:
If you consider a lighter an essential part of your pocket things, having a Zippo lighter is a must. Who knows? Soon you may become a part of one of the Zippo collector’s clubs.
If you want to buy an authentic Zippo lighter in Pakistan, trust explorer. We promise you will get the best quality and authentic items here.
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