Zippo lighters are famous for their durability and utility, which is why they have a huge fanbase with outdoor enthusiasts, campers and hikers. To engage with these nature lovers, we created Pyrotechnic Posters: an interactive installation in the Zippo Museum.

These “ordinary” black posters were hiding an elaborately illustrated world. But there was a catch—you could only see it by using your Zippo.

The secret to making it all work was thermochromic ink technology that responds to the heat of a flame. When touched with the lighter, the pitch-black surface revealed a hidden world of imposing animals in three environments: a forest, a cave, and a swamp.

Pyrotechnic Posters sparked intrigue with an adventure-loving audience, and reinforced that Zippo was an essential tool to “see what’s out there” in the great outdoors.