Zippo lighters have made cameos in Apocalypse Now, Die Hard and Wall-E. They’ve spared the lives of MacGyver and Indiana Jones and helped save Private Ryan. Zippo is more than a product or a brand; it’s a legend. As such, the company has never really been in the business of selling lighters. Zippo found global success not solely because of its product’s function (though after 75 years of lifetime guarantees, it’s undoubtedly functional), but because of what it stood for.In China, the company’s second largest market, Zippo had failed to reach icon-status. Few people knew what the brand represented, and even fewer were aware of the company’s range of products beyond lighters. This lack of visibility was what "Zippo Hot List Nights" summer concert series sought to overcome. Through an authentic, culturally relevant platform, this major Zippo-branded experience created a wave of advocates and influential trend leaders who not only believed in Zippo products, but who subscribed to the brand identity. By the end of the six-month campaign, sales of men’s accessories had increased 229% YOY, and media attention had spread nation-wide, generating over 2,080 pieces of coverage, with blog views alone exceeding 300,000.

The Zippo Hot List Nights series hosted monthly concerts from May to October 2010, featuring 24 Chinese bands. The space was fully-branded, with the stage flanked by flames, "secret recipe" Zi-52 beverages in branded glasses, and prominent logos behind performers. Promoters interacted with the audience and showcased Zippo lifestyle products, which were also given as prizes to audience members. Media and product distributors received VIP back-stage passes, socialized with the bands, and participated in on-stage promotions.

Online activities utilized Chinese social media platforms and microblogging site Sina, and engaged influential bloggers and major style outlets like GQ China.The night of the fifth concert, two other major performances took place in Beijing. To save the event, brand reps blasted social media sites and promoted the Zippo concert outside competing venues. As word spread, audiences left other concerts to see Zippo’s impressive line-up, and attendance was the highest of the season.

The campaign successfully launched a movement of brand advocates who identified with the Zippo lifestyle and its products. Sales of men’s accessories increased 229% YOY, and dealers reported hundreds of inquiries about lifestyle products displayed at the concerts.The campaign also garnered over 2,080 pieces of media coverage for Zippo, more than double initial estimates, with an equivalent advertising value of US$4.5M.

Online, high rates of traffic and conversation indicated that the campaign had passed a tipping point, igniting a wave of interest that spread among citizens and exponentially increased brand visibility. Over 300,000 news stories were reposted 300 times. Forum postings resulted in 21,000 comments and 50,400 views. Blog articles received over 300,000 views and concert videos received 25,000, and Sina messages were forwarded 2,500 times as citizens posted over 2,900 of their own messages. Key messages throughout included "Zippo hot lifestyle," "rock music," and "hot bands."