I’ve got three Post-it notes stuck to my computer screen right now, so I know it’s going to be a busy day.
In the digital way I do things, they’re a helpful artifact from my analog world. I can’t miss them, and make a point of peeling them off as the essential tasks are done.
There’s a good chance you use them too. But did you ever wonder how these ubiquitous little sticky notes came to be?
The story behind Post-its is a fascinating tale of accidental invention, persistence, and innovative marketing to address an unmet need.
It all started in 1968 when Dr. Spencer Silver, a chemist at 3M, was trying to create a super-strong adhesive for aircraft construction. Instead, he accidentally created something entirely different: a weak, pressure-sensitive adhesive that could be peeled away easily without leaving a residue. At the time, this “failure” seemed to have no practical use, so it was shelved.
Fast forward five years. Art Fry, another 3M scientist and a church choir member, was frustrated with paper bookmarks falling out of his hymnal during services. Remembering Silver’s adhesive, Fry had a lightbulb moment: he could create bookmarks that would stay in place yet be easily removed without damaging the pages.
Fry started developing the product in secret, using 3M’s “permitted bootlegging” policy that allowed employees to spend 15% of their time on personal projects. He created prototype sticky notes and shared them with colleagues, who quickly became addicted to their utility.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Despite plenty of enthusiasm from people who worked at 3M, initial market tests were discouraging.
Consumers, unfamiliar with the concept, didn’t see a need for the product.
It could have ended there, but 3M’s marketing team had a brilliant idea: they launched the “Boise Blitz,” giving away free samples to offices in Boise, Idaho.
The result? A whopping 90% of recipients said they would buy the product.
People didn’t know how useful Post-it notes could be until they experienced the product in their own lives. They had to experience how it was just the right adhesion to stay put, yet peeled away without leaving behind residue.
Post-it Notes were officially launched in 1980, over a decade after Silver’s initial “failed” experiment. Today, they’re sold in more than 100 countries and have become an office staple. I have a crazy range of sizes and colors, some with lines and others shaped like talk bubbles.
So, what can you learn from this sticky success story?
- Sometimes “failures” can lead to breakthrough innovations
- Identifying the right problem to solve is crucial.
- Sometimes people need to experience how the product works and feels to appreciate it.
- Persistence and belief in a product’s potential are essential
- Innovative marketing strategies can overcome initial consumer skepticism
Next time you jot down a quick note or mark a page, remember: you’re using a product that almost never made it to market. It’s a reminder that with the right combination of innovation, perseverance, and smart marketing, even an initially overlooked idea can become a game-changing product.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got those three sticky notes calling my name…
P.S. Got any “failed” ideas lying around? Maybe it’s time to take another look!