Kylee Phillips ‘26

Kylee Phillips spent an internship with Zippo Manufacturing Co. developing hands-on brand experience through creative collaborations — one of the most notable being Zippo’s collaboration with Grillo’s Pickles.

After her internship, the business management major from Bradford had the opportunity to keep doing work for the global brand, putting her marketing concentration to work in a big way. She joined Zippo’s brand department in 2024, where she quickly plugged into the company’s growing appetite for unexpected, culture-forward partnerships.

One of her most memorable projects was Zippo’s team-up with cult-favorite Grillo’s Pickles, a brand known for turning a condiment choice into a lifestyle statement. “The collaboration came about while I was working on what Zippo calls ‘drop shop’ partnerships,” she said. “These are collaborations that move quickly and allow us to work with unique brands without a long, drawn-out process.” Think of it like a limited-edition sneaker drop, but for lighters.

Zippo connected with Grillo’s through a shared partner company, and Phillips jumped at the chance to play a key role. “I was really excited about getting the chance to work with something fun and modern,” she said. She coordinated communication between both teams, organized brainstorming sessions, and stayed involved in design conversations from first concept to finished product. While Zippo’s designers handled the final artwork, Phillips was in the room where it happened. “I didn’t design the lighter myself, but I was part of pitching ideas and working through what would make it stand out,” she said. “Seeing those ideas come to life was incredibly rewarding.”

The results? Let’s just say the pickle people showed up. The limited-edition lighters sold out on both Zippo’s and Grillo’s websites within an hour of launch, making it one of the most popular collaborations Zippo had released in recent years. “Watching something I worked on perform that well was unforgettable,” she said. “It showed me the real impact that creative marketing can have when it connects with people.”

The experience solidified Phillips’ passion for brand marketing and creative strategy — the art of figuring out not just what to sell, but how to make people genuinely excited about it. “This project made me realize how much I love brand work,” she said. “I enjoy the creativity, the collaboration, and seeing how ideas turn into something people genuinely want.”

Beyond the pickle collab, Phillips has supported influencer campaigns — where brands partner with social media personalities to reach new audiences — and custom lighter projects across multiple industries. Each experience has sharpened her marketing instincts in ways no classroom can fully replicate.

As she looks ahead to graduation, one project will always stand out. “It showed me that I belong in this field,” she said.