Fun Facts | Post-It Notes
A Product Nobody Needed... Until They Did
(Note: This is an edited reprint of a post published in July 2022. I’m taking a break this week from psychology for a more ‘lighthearted’ piece.
Who doesn't respect and appreciate those little yellow squares of paper easily stuck and removed to multiple surfaces?
Certainly not me, that's for sure!
Particularly during this past week. It's been busier than usual, and I've resorted to an alarming number of Post-It notes in a variety of places:
Refrigerator
Computer
Desk
Bedside table
Bathroom mirror
Purse
Car dashboard
I may be forgetting a couple, but you get the idea.
Yes, I know my smartphone has ways to note things that must be recalled at specific times. And I do use the types that offer an alarm because what good are they without a notification? But that takes a few more steps than I want to do sometimes.
Not so with the iconic Post-Its. Write, tear, stick...easy peasy AND effective!
The History
Dr. Spencer Silver, a 3M scientist, was researching new adhesives in his lab when he stumbled upon microspheres. They stick lightly to surfaces but don't bond tightly. Silver spent years trying to devise an idea to use his discovery.
In the meantime, another 3M scientist and church choir member, Art Fry, was using small scraps of paper to mark the songs in his hymnal. However, they constantly fell out. Finally, Fry realized he needed a bookmark that would stick without damaging the pages AND be easily removed.
Needless to say, it was a match made in adhesive heaven. So, the two partnered to develop a product, and Post-It Notes was born.
Initially, the notes were tried out at 3M corporate headquarters and were a big hit. However, a test run in four cities under the moniker Press' n Peel drew mixed results. Marketing decided to proceed with a more extensive sampling effort, and 90% of those consumers said they would definitely purchase and use them.
Silver said that, like many groundbreaking innovations, theirs was a product nobody thought they needed...until they did.
Post-It Notes 2.0
Modern-day Post-It Notes have come a long way since then:
Notepads - are lined with magnets on the back.
Personal Planners - are larger (7 x 8) with printed weekly calendars for appointments & tasks.
Die-cut Shapes - come in two-tone colors with 3 shapes: flowers, hearts & speech bubbles
Big Notes - offer 11 x 11 and 15 x 15 sizes.
Laptop Dispensers - are super slim and stick to computers and notebooks.
Vehicle Dispensers - conveniently clip to the visor for on-the-go notetaking.
Easel Pads - help brainstorm meetings anywhere.
Super Sticky Notes - with more adhesive, are ideal for vertical surfaces. (Refrigerator magnets met their match!)
Super Sticky Full Adhesive - enables users to go mobile, take an entire pad of notes, and adhere them to binders, journals, etc.
Dry Erase - offers assorted sizes: unroll, peel & stick. It also prevents excess paper waste.
Flex Write Surface - a whiteboard surface that can also take permanent markers (cleaned up with water.)
Greener Notes - in various types & sizes, are made from recycled paper and plant-based adhesive.
Extreme Notes - have water-resistant adhesive, 100x the holding power, and remove cleanly.
Big Pads - smaller than Easel Pads & allow teams to collaborate.
Post It App - captures, organizes & shares thoughts into a group board for virtual brainstorming sessions.
Noted by Post It - is a separate line of artful products for notes, lists, and goal setting.
Cubes, Tabs, Page Markers, and Highlighter pens are some additional options.
The Post-It brand also partnered with Evernote, the organizational note-taking app. With your smartphone's camera, you can snap, save, and share your Post-Its and create auto-tags, reminders, and notebooks.
Today, these classic notepads are available in 150 countries, and they have a product line of 4,000 in 28 colors.
With the wide variety available, Post-Its are definitely here to stay.
Which is a good thing. As long as I stay busy, I can never have too many!
NEXT WEEK: A fascinating topic I recently discovered - Intergenerational Trauma. Discover why YOU might be affected by someone else’s memories!
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When I'm in the edit phase of a novel, the hard copy print-out bristles with small post-its, different colours, shapes, and all very very important. Thank the stars for the Post-it!
I love a good Post It note! I keep them on my desk at all times even though I work from home. 😅