It started out simply enough, an idea mentioned at a staff meeting…

The idea was to spice up the

Zippo employee picnic by having

radio personality Jim Zippo and

his co-host Maria Danza remotely

broadcast their nationally syndicated

“Zippo in the Morning” show from the

Zippo Family Store and Museum.

“Zippo in the Morning” aired on 150

stations to an audience of 1.1 million.

Jim Zippo began a contest in July that offered listeners the chance to win a Zip-Trip

including a V.I.P. trip to the Zippo Family Store & Museum, a weekend in Niagara Falls,

and various Zippo prizes. Jim Zippo dubbed the successful event “National Zippo Day”.

The weekend that featured on-air prize giveaways, limited edition collectibles

and the Zippo employee picnic had become an instant sensation.