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 gift shop of 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.

 The Pyrotechnic Posters drew curious onlookers into the museum gift shop, and encouraged them to spend more time in Zippo’s retail space.