I wonder how the market is for flip-top lighters...the old-fashion Zippo-type lighters. Its a customizable product I have available through Artsnow and I can get them for a pretty good price. But as I peruse eBay listings it doesn't seem that they are great sellers. Lots of flip-top lighters going unsold.
Zippo lighters aren't about utility. Its not about making fire. I can walk down to Mike's Market and buy a disposable butane lighter for 79 cents. Making fire is easy. So its got to be about design and the "gimme gimme" factor. The flip-top lighter has to be considered the canvas for the design, and the design is what's going to sell.
Here's a few designs I've worked up and uploaded to my Artsnow bin. Darwin is a always a great seller. I don't quite understand the affinity some feel with Charles Darwin. I've always considered him a brilliant scientist with breakthrough ideas on evolution and the development of the species. But there are many people who see an "iconic" Darwin as the alternative to religion...if you flip the religion coin you get Jesus on heads and Darwin on tails. I don't really see the dichotomy myself, but some do and that generates sales. Go figure.
John Philip Sousa, The March King. He's pretty cool with the marching band crowd and its well known that marching band kids need lighters so they can light their cigarettes in the back of the band bus. That's what happens on the band bus. I realize that what happens on the band bus, stays on...yadda yadda. My apologies for spilling the beans. Seriously, I get good sales of Sousa stuff to Japan...I have no idea why.
John McCain making a speech at the Sin City Convention Center. I'd never done any Sin City graphic novel designs before. I think it came out pretty good. I have one of the McCain lighters on order so I can check the quality. I'll probably give it to my dad, who not only likes John McCain but also has always carried a Zippo or some other flip-top lighter.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Gimme Gimme Fire in My Pocket
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