Inventors
Post-It
Notes - Art Fry and Spencer Silver
Post-it ®
notes may have been a God-send…literally. In the early 1970s, Art Fry was
in search of a bookmark for his church hymnal that would neither fall out
nor damage the hymnal. Fry noticed that a colleague at 3M, Dr. Spencer
Silver, had developed an adhesive that was strong enough to stick to surfaces,
but left no residue after removal and could be repositioned. Fry took some
of Dr. Silver’s adhesive and applied it along the edge of a piece of paper.
His church hymnal problem was solved!
Fry soon realized
that his "bookmark" had other potential functions when he used it to leave
a note on a work file, and co-workers kept dropping by, seeking "bookmarks"
for their offices. This "bookmark" was a new way to communicate and to
organize. 3M Corporation crafted the name Post-it note for Fry’s
bookmarks and began production in the late 70s for commercial use.
In 1977, test-markets
failed to show consumer interest. However in 1979, 3M implemented a massive
consumer sampling strategy, and the Post-it note took off. Today,
we see Post-it ® notes peppered across files, computers, desks, and
doors in offices and homes throughout the country. From a church hymnal
bookmark to an office and home essential, the Post-it note has colored
the way we work.
Post-It
Notes
Art Fry needed a temporary permanent
bookmarker.
Post-It
Notes
The Post-It homepage.
Art
Fry and Post-it ® Notes
From 3M's website.
Art
Fry and Spencer Silver
In the 1970s, Art Fry invented the
Post-it ® Note. But he could not have created this without the previous
invention of his colleague, Spencer Silver.
Related Information
Office
Innovations
©Mary
Bellis
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