BIC lighter
{{Short description|Disposable lighter produced since 1973}}
{{Infobox product
| title = BIC lighter
| image = BIC lighter 2008-12-31.jpg
| image_size = 200
| alt =
| caption =
| type = Lighter
| inventor =
| inception = {{start date|1973}}
| manufacturer = Société Bic
| available = Available
| current supplier = Société Bic
| last production =
| models =
| website = [https://eu.bic.com/en-gb/lighters/bicr-standard-lighter BIC lighter official homepage]
| notes =
}}
A BIC lighter is a disposable lighter manufactured by Société Bic since 1973.{{cite web |last1=Wilson & Co |title=A Brief History of Flame: The Story of the Everyday Lighter |url=https://sharrowmills.com/pages/the-story-of-the-everyday-lighter |website=Sharrowmills.com |access-date=4 November 2021}}{{cite web |author= |title=Who Invented the Bic Lighter? |url=https://www.reference.com/history/invented-bic-lighter-92995fc223a458f |website=Reference.com |access-date=4 November 2021}}{{Cite web |title=BIC Lighter |url=http://www.designlife-cycle.com/bic-lighter |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=Design Life-Cycle |language=en-US}} According to the company, "BIC is the world's largest manufacturer of branded pocket lighters" and has "sold over 30 billion lighters" (as of February 2024).{{Cite web |title=Spark your interest: This is how we make BIC® lighters! |url=https://mea.bic.com/en-za/blog-5 |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=BIC |language=en-za}}
Marketing
The BIC lighter was first mentioned in a 1972 Time magazine article reporting that BIC was developing a lighter that could be lit up to 3,000 times before wearing out.{{cite web |title=BIC Corporation History |url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/bic-corporation-history/ |website=FundingUniverse.com |access-date=4 November 2021}} In 1970s television commercials, the company told potential consumers to "flick your BIC", a slogan that is still used.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SddobOBPczc&ab_channel=TheMuseumofClassicChicagoTelevision(www.FuzzyMemories.TV) |title=Bic Lighters - "Flick of My Bic" (Commercial, 1976) |date=2024-01-11 |last=The Museum of Classic Chicago Television |access-date=2025-04-05 |via=YouTube}}
In 2022, BIC began to advertise its EZ Reach lighters with designs by Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart, and Willie Nelson. These advertisements use humor hinting at the use of cannabis, as all three celebrities are known for their cannabis use.{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bic-lights-america-snoop-doggs-130000983.html|title=BIC® LIGHTS UP AMERICA TO FIND SNOOP DOGG'S EZ REACH ® LIGHTER|date=April 20, 2023|website=Yahoo Finance}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|BIC Lighters}}
- [https://eu.bic.com/en-gb/lighters/bicr-standard-lighter BIC lighter official homepage]