• by Fern Siegel , February 15, 2024

Zippo's latest work offered a darker twist on couples — especially since it debuted on Valentine’s Day.

Zippo’s “Our Flame Lasts a Lifetime” campaign features two spots where a pair sits in stony silence in a restaurant, clearly bored and unhappy with each other.

Forget the traditional platitudes or the mushy holiday pablum. Zippo lighters remind viewers they last longer, which makes for a more reliable gift.

Creative is running as in-stream video spots on YouTube and branded text ads, ending with the cheeky tagline — "There's one flame that's sure to last" and Zippo’s lifetime guarantee.

The brand is also doing a small print ad run in the college newspaper for University of Dallas, which The Princeton Review found to be the ninth happiest college in the country, based on student ratings.

Jon Wagner, executive creative director at Ogilvy, said:“The work stands out from the overly sentimental Valentine's Day ads we always see. We instead wanted to do something with a little wink, grit and edge — just like the brand itself.”

Ogilvy’s client work includes Android, CeraVe, Verizon and Dove.