Zippo has brought its Virtual Zippo Lighter application to Google?s Android Market after the iPhone version exceeded 14 million downloads and the Nokia version surpassed 2 million downloads.

Zippo tapped mobile entertainment agency skyrockit to port the virtual lighter app to Android devices. The virtual lighter opens with a flick of the wrist, lights with a turn of the flint wheel and the windproof flame sways as the device is moved back and forth.

?Zippo wants to offer the award-winning experience of the Virtual Zippo lighter to all Zippo fans,? said Brent Tyler, event marketing and promotions manager at Zippo, Bradford, PA. ?As such, extending the application to Android was a natural next step considering the massive growth of Android devices over the past year.

?Most Android phones offer a similar experience to the iPhone, so the fans can get the same enjoyment of flicking open the lighter and holding up the flame at their favorite concerts,? he said. ?In addition, the application serves as tool for determining the viability of specific designs, as Zippo can essentially test market new artwork and patterns before bringing them to market.

?With the ability to track the popularity of specific skins and designs across iPhone, Nokia, and now Android users, Zippo is able to make data-driven decisions regarding which would be most successful if added to the product line.?

Zippo markets windproof lighters, lighter accessories, butane candle lighters, watches, fragrance and lifestyle accessories for men in more than 160 countries.

Headquartered in San Francisco, skyrockit has principle backing from Intel capital.

Zippo targets Android users
The application features a variety of designs to customize the physical appearance of the virtual lighter, as well as an animated flame that reacts to movement of the phone, letting consumers use the virtual Zippo lighter at concerts by holding the mobile device high and swaying to the music. 

Virtual Zippo Lighter is free to download, including 28 free lighter designs, and 250-plus premium lighter skins are available for purchase in the in-app store for $0.99 each.

The in-app store?s premium items have been well received by users, according to skyrockit, and their active purchasing is creating a new revenue stream for Zippo.

There are also images from Harley-Davidson, Bob Marley, Kiss and Ozzy Osbourne

Mr. Tyler said that Virtual Zippo Lighter is the cornerstone of the brand?s mobile efforts. He said that it is an organic extension of its music-focused communications initiatives, provides valuable insight on consumer preferences and is helping to shape how the brand goes to market with new products. 

The Virtual Zippo Lighter app has achieved more than 14 million downloads on the iPhone and more than 2 million downloads on the Nokia Ovi Storesince its 2008 debut.

Mobile users are downloading more than 70,000 of the Virtual Zippo Lighter apps each week, and this is with no paid media support, according to skyrockit.

?Our focus with Zippo has been to create a genuinely valuable and fun application for Zippo fans,? Mr. Tyler said. ?The better the application is, the less paid media needs to be spent.

?This is the philosophy of branded content, where advertisers take time to create something that can be of long-term value to their audience as opposed to creating disposable advertising in the form of banners,? he said. ?This model has been demonstrated by the success of the Virtual Zippo lighter.

?In addition to the organic success thought owned and earned media, we still actively engage in social marketing through Facebook, Twitter, blog outreach and tactical PR.?

Zippo also works with the team at Google to explore marketing opportunities in the Android Market.

Lit by skyrockit

Skyrockit acts as Zippo?s full-service mobile agency, helping the brand with strategy, execution, product development, licensing, monetization, marketing, partnerships, PR and media buying.

?They live and breathe mobile and have been indispensable in making the Virtual Zippo Lighter the global success that is has become,? Mr. Tyler said. ?We have an opportunity to build a whole new business with them as we plan to further extend the capabilities of the lighter over the coming year.?

Final Take
Dan Butcher, associate editor, Mobile Marketer