Invention of the yellow sticky

The idea for repositionable notes struck Fry while singing in the church choir. His bookmark kept falling out of his hymnal, causing him to lose his page. Dr. Spencer Silver, a 3M scientist, discovered the formula for the sticky stuff back in 1968. So, taking advantage of a 3M policy known as the "bootlegging" policy, Fry used a portion of his working hours to develop a solution to his problem. Now the world is singing the praises of his pet project: Post-it Notes.

After years of product development, 3M introduced the concept of Post-it Notes in four major markets in 1977. But, without actual samples in hand to try, consumers didn't catch on. A year later, 3M blanketed the Boise, Idaho, market with samples upon samples of Post-it Notes. After trying the notes, more than 90 percent of users said they'd buy the product themselves. The test was a success!

A 1998 workplace study of more than 1,000 U. S. workers, conducted by the Gallup Organization and the Institute for the Future, showed that the average professional receives eleven Post-it Note messages each day. Inventor Art Fry was named one of "The 100 Best People in the World" by Esquire magazine.

A Post-it Note featuring a charcoal and pastel drawing by artist R. B. Kitaj sold for 640 pounds during an online auction for charity in December 2000, creating a Guinness World Record for the most valuable Post-it Note. For more art, check out the Post-It Theater.