Conceptualize, program and update Zippo Encore

 

Zippo Manufacturing Company is one of America’s most established and most loved brands, and a company indelibly linked to music. In late 2009 we were approached by Zippo’s marketing department to assist with the relaunch of ZippoEncore.com, the company's online altar to rock ‘n’ roll.

 

Whereas Zippo's previous provider had spotlighted the same one or two bands for months at a time, we saw an opportunity to feature significantly more artists – 8 per month to be exact, thereby boosting traffic and helping to position Zippo as a leading-edge brand with its ear firmly to the ground.

 

Our focus was to come up with a robust feature set that would keep people coming back, and keep them engaged when they got there. We recommended a mixture of free downloadable music and streaming tracks, and suggested a voting feature where people can vote for their favorite artists each month, with the winning band receiving a quantity of lighters featuring their own design. And we sweated the small stuff, suggesting a mailing list sign-up so fans can be notified of updates, and of course a viral component so visitors can share their music discoveries with friends.

 

The music? It's from a mixture of emerging and established indie, hard rock and metal bands, with not a shred of hipster irony. Low slung guitars, cranked amps, and a healthy dose of “oomph!” drive home Zippo’s own tagline: “Those who rock – roll with Zippo.”  

 

Zippo’s music presence rocks - hard. Monthly updates featuring buzzworthy bands ensure that a company synonymous with great rock 'n' roll moments is reflecting what’s happening in the bars, clubs and arenas where its products are being hoisted aloft nightly. Meanwhile, the chance to get their own branded lighter incentivizes participating artists and record labels to motivate their fans to hit the site and cast their electronic ballots. Rock the vote, indeed.