35
In early 1995 a replaceable battery pack to be installed into any standard size Zippo lighter case to produce a handy pocket flashlight was added to the promotional product line. What started as the "ZIPLITE" for the company's district manangers only soon was renamed "zipLight" with a initial pilot production run given to all employees on May 15, 1995 in order to test it as a daily user and give feedback within three weeks & in late summer the production started...

ZIPLITE - Handy Pocket Flashlight
The inside units of the very first samples produced in March 1995 & given to Zippo's district managers only had a different logo and no date codes yet compared to the regular production run battery packs.

zipLight
1st PRODUCTION RUN
FOR EMPLOYEES ONLY
MAY 1995      1/1500
Each high polish chrome zipLight of the pilot run of 1.500 units came in a blister pack & enclosed a letter from the zipLight design team & the instructional manual as shown below.

1st version battery pack #5359505 - front
1st version battery pack #5359505 - back


promotional sheet announcing the new Zippo zipLight

Zippo zipLight salesman sample case...

...containing six different designs:

Working Safely is a Bright Idea.
B  ZIPPO  XII February 1996
brush brass salesman sample
Energizer bunny
A  ZIPPO  XII January 1996
black matte salesman sample
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
L  ZIPPO  XI December 1995
midnight chrome salesman sample

zipLight
G  ZIPPO  XII July 1996
brush chrome salesman sample
BUD LIGHT BEER
B  ZIPPO  XII February 1996
high polish chrome salesman sample
BEAM ME UP SCOTTY !
L  ZIPPO  XI December 1995
navy matte salesman sample

NEW     Betty Blue Belle
D  ZIPPO  XV April 1999
high polish chrome small production run

This Ziplight design was named "Betty Blue Bell" for Betty Lou Philips, who worked for the Zippo Mfg. Co. for 43 years & was the administrative secretary to Pat Grandy at the time the Ziplight was introduced. This small production run zipLight was given out to special guests visiting Zippo only.

zipLight cardboard box
zipLight blister pack
zipLight battery blister pack

zipLight sales display
# ETTWRZ
zipLight sales display
# ZL99-42A

This display featured a large zipLight model that lighted up at the touch of the button.

zipLight promotional tin sign

and you thought
ZIPPO only made lighters !
C  ZIPPO  XIII March 1997
midnight chrome salesman sample
zipLight...
And you thought we only made lighters !

D  ZIPPO  XIV

April 1998
brush chrome salesman sample

NEW     Working Safely is a Bright Idea.
E  ZIPPO  XI May 1995
midnight chrome salesman sample
zipLight - BRIGHT IDEAS FROM ZIPPO
J  ZIPPO  XI October 1995
black matte salesman sample
Working Safely is a Bright Idea.
B  ZIPPO  XII February 1996
brush brass salesman sample

NEW     BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!
F  ZIPPO  XI June 1995
high polish chrome salesman sample
BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!
C  ZIPPO  XII March 1996
black matte salesman sample
BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!
L  ZIPPO  XI December 1995
navy matte salesman sample

NEW     YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
H  ZIPPO  XI August 1995
brush chrome salesman sample
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

L  ZIPPO  XI

December 1995
midnight chrome salesman sample

zipLight
A  ZIPPO  XIII January 1997
midnight chrome official catalog version
zipLight
A  ZIPPO  XV January 1999
midnight chrome salesman sample
NEW     zipLight - Dave Clinton
E  ZIPPO  XV May 1999
black matte salesman sample

zipLight
Help your business shine !
E  ZIPPO  XII May 1996
black matte salesman sample
zipLight
Help your business shine !
J  ZIPPO  XII October 1996
brush brass salesman sample
NEW     zipLight - Kamco b.v.
Netherlands' Zippo Distributor since 1953
I  ZIPPO  XIII September 1997
satin finish salesman sample

NEW     AD FORCE !
Promotional Products, 170 Avenue C, New York
L  ZIPPO  XI December 1995
black matte custom order
NEW     QUALITY LIGHTING
SUN LIGHTS AND ZIPPO
H  ZIPPO  XII August 1996
brush chrome custom order
NEW     zipLight
cat's face
J  ZIPPO  XV October 1999
black matte salesman sample

zipLight
four color surface imprint venetian design
H  ZIPPO  XI August 1995
brush chrome salesman sample
DLP - A TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TECHNOLOGY
 - biggest custom zipLight order of 10.000 units -

F  ZIPPO  XII

June 1996
brush chrome custom order

zipLight
"primitive floral"
J  ZIPPO  XII October 1996
high polish chrome official catalog version
zipLight
"midnight floral"

K  ZIPPO  XII

November 1996
midnight chrome official catalog version

zipLight
"riddle"
A  ZIPPO  XIII January 1997
midnight chrome official catalog version
zipLight
"colors"

B  ZIPPO  XIII

February 1997
high polish chrome official catalog version

zipLight
K  ZIPPO  XV November 1999
midnight chrome official catalog version

this official catalog version was available in six different colors:
brush chrome, brush brass, red matte, purple matte, midnight chrome & black matte

ziplight
cardboard box design
B  ZIPPO  12 February 2012
candy teal pvd limited edition of 30
ziplight
guarantee card design

B  ZIPPO  12

 February 2012
black matte limited edition of 30

ziplight
giftbox design
D  ZIPPO  12 April 2012
white matte limited edition of 30


This voucher offering a FREE zipLight came with every limited edition collectible of the year 1998.


2nd version zipLight battery pack showing the patent number 5359505



3rd version zipLight battery pack showing the patent number 5424929


Comparing the inside units - patent #5359505 on the left & patent #5424929 on the right - the main difference is the adjustable light beam no longer available since 1997.



2nd version battery pack #5359505
JXI October 1995
2nd version battery pack #5359505
B XII February 1996
2nd version battery pack #5359505
C XII March 1996

2nd version battery pack #5359505
E XII May 1996
2nd version battery pack #5359505
G  XII July 1996
2nd version battery pack #5359505
L  XII December 1996

3rd version battery pack #5424929
D  XIV April 1998
3rd version battery pack #5424929
H  9 August 2006
3rd version battery pack #5424929
E  01 May 2001


1st version zipLight guarantee card #181002 (January 1996)



2nd version zipLight guarantee card #181002 (January 1996)
bilingual - french & english - for Canada



3rd version zipLight guarantee card #181002 (November 1996)


zipLight promotional sales brochure