Zippo Manufacturing Co. today pulled its social media campaign, which cashed in on the embarrassing Red Square flame-out of the Olympic torch during a Vladimir Putin-attended ceremony on Oct. 6, to mark the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

A member of Putin's security team relit the torch held by 60-year-old former champion swimmer Shavarish Karapetyan, who had been waving it and pointing to the top of the extinguished torch.

Zippo quickly posted a video on Facebook and launched the #ZippoSavesOlympics on Twitter.


Dmitry Chernyshenko, president of the Sochi organizing committee saw the Twitter site and had officials contact the Pennsylvania company to express their concern over the improper use of the Olympics logo.

Zippo killed the campaign today after a meeting of its social media team. Dave Warfel, global marketing director of Zippo, told RIA Novosti that his company "never meant to imply that somehow we had any relationship or sponsorship with the Olympic committee at all."

He called the campaign "a bit of whimsy."

Meanwhile, the torch, which was made by a Russian ballistic missile company, went out at least four times since Sunday, according to Radio Free Europe.

The torch relay has another 120 days and 40K miles to go before it reaches Sochi.