Anecdote of the Week

In 1974, another 3M scientist, Art Fry, was looking for a way to keep bookmarks in his hymn book during choir practice without them falling out or damaging the pages. Remembering Silver’s invention, Fry thought that the adhesive could solve his problem. Thus, by combining the adhesive with bits of paper, Post-its were born. Despite the enthusiasm of Fry and Silver, the idea was not immediately embraced by 3M. Only in 1977 did the company decide to launch the product on the market under the name “Press ‘n Peel”. However, the product failed to take off. In 1979, after careful market analysis, 3M decided to give the product another chance and distributed it free of charge to a large number of consumers in Boise, Idaho. It was an overwhelming success. The product was then renamed “Post-it” and launched nationwide in 1980. Today, Post-its are used worldwide in countless ways and represent an iconic symbol of innovation.