The very first new blu butane gas Zippo lighters were promoted by

RJ Reynolds for the Marlboro menthol campaign in 2005/2006

long before the official release of the blu in August 2007.

The reason for the late official release were production problems

especially caused by leaky butane tank units.

the Zippo blu dealer only demo kit

ZIPPO TO SPONSOR KYLE BUSCH AT WATKINS GLEN

Zippo Manufacturing Company sponsored Kyle Busch in the D’Hondt Motorsports #92 Zippo BLU car at the Zippo 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race August 9 at Watkins Glen International.

As primary sponsor, Zippo built on the excitement created by Busch and the #92 NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota Camry to promote their new premium refillable butane pocket lighter, Zippo BLU^TM. "I appreciate Zippo coming on board to sponsor me and D'Hondt Motorsports in Watkins Glen" said Kyle Busch. "Zippo definitely has a history at 'the Glen' and we will do our best to represent them well."

“We are thrilled to have a high caliber organization like D’Hondt Motorsports and an exciting young driver promoting our line of hot new Zippo BLU lighters,” declared Greg Booth , President/CEO of Zippo. “Kyle Busch is currently number one in the Sprint Cup standings, and number two in the Nationwide Series. This is a tremendous opportunity to get our Zippo message out to a huge audience of NASCAR fans, many of whom are already Zippo fans.”

Zippo has been a 15-year sponsor of the Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, and title sponsor of the Zippo 200 Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen since 2005.