Editing Post-it note (section)

==History==
[[File:Fry-lightbulb-on-forehead1.jpg|thumbnail|upright|left|[[Arthur Fry]] with a Post-it note on his forehead]]

In 1968, [[Spencer Silver]], a scientist at 3M in the United States, attempted to develop a super-strong adhesive. Instead, he accidentally created a "low-tack", reusable, [[pressure-sensitive adhesive]] for the aerospace industry.<ref name="3m.com">{{cite web|url=http://solutions.3mae.ae/wps/portal/3M/en_AE/Post-Its/Post-It/Solutions/History/|title=Post-It® Brand|work=3m.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202085713/http://solutions.3mae.ae/wps/portal/3M/en_AE/Post-Its/Post-It/Solutions/History/|archive-date=2017-02-02}}</ref><ref name="Donnelly-2012">{{cite news|url=http://www.inc.com/tim-donnelly/brilliant-failures/9-inventions-made-by-mistake.html|title=9 Brilliant Inventions Made by Mistake|last=Donnelly|first=Tim|date=23 August 2012|newspaper=Inc.|access-date=24 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.post-it.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Post_It/Global/About/|title=About Post-It® Brand|access-date=2013-02-12|quote=The Post-It® Note was invented as a solution without a problem: Dr. Spencer Silver developed a special, repositionable adhesive, but the 3M scientist didn't know what to do with his discovery.|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411165856/http://www.post-it.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Post_It/Global/About/|archive-date=2013-04-11}}</ref><ref name="Stik2it.com">{{Cite web |title=The History of Post-it Notes: The Accidents That Led to the Invention of the Sticky Note [INFOGRAPHIC] |url=https://www.stik2it.com/blog/the-history-of-postit-notes-the-accidents-that-led-to-the-invention-of-the-sticky-note-infographic/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Stik2it.com |language=en}}</ref> For five years, Silver promoted his "solution without a problem" within 3M both informally and through seminars, but failed to gain adherents. In 1974, a colleague who had attended one of his seminars, [[Art Fry]], came up with the idea of using the adhesive to anchor his bookmark in his [[hymnal|hymn book]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/frysilver.html|title=Inventor of the Week: Art Fry and Spencer Silver|access-date=2007-09-23|publisher=[[MIT]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014051221/http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/frysilver.html|archive-date=2007-10-14}}</ref><ref name="useful">{{cite book | title=The Evolution of Useful Things | last=Petroski | first=Henry | author-link=Henry Petroski | pages=[https://archive.org/details/evolutionofusefu00petr_0/page/84 84–86] | year=1992 | publisher=Alfred A. Knopf | location=New York | isbn=0-679-41226-3 | oclc=24906856 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/evolutionofusefu00petr_0/page/84 }}</ref> Fry then utilized 3M's sanctioned "permitted [[Bootlegging (business)|bootlegging]]" policy, which allows employees to spend some of their work time on projects of their own choosing, to develop the idea.<ref name="useful" /> The original notes' canary yellow color was chosen by chance, from the color of the scrap paper available at the lab next door to the Post-it team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejanuarist.com/why-are-post-it-notes-yellow/|title=Why Are Post-It Notes Yellow?|access-date=2010-02-25|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100228173348/http://www.thejanuarist.com/why-are-post-it-notes-yellow/|archive-date=2010-02-28}}</ref> Fry provided 3M employees with a prototype of the product, and individuals started exchanging messages, demonstrating the product's communicative effectiveness.<ref name="Donnelly-2012" />

[[File:Post-it note adhesive.jpg|thumb|The adhesive side of a Post-it note, magnified 555 times with a [[scanning electron microscope]]]]

3M [[test marketed]] the product as a "Press 'n Peel" in stores in four cities in 1977, but results were disappointing.<ref name="FT">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f08e8a9a-fcd7-11df-ae2d-00144feab49a.html#axzz18hyDnyKX|title=First Person: 'We invented the Post-It Note'|author=Art Fry and Spencer Silver|access-date=2010-12-20|magazine=FT Magazine|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218110055/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f08e8a9a-fcd7-11df-ae2d-00144feab49a.html#axzz18hyDnyKX|archive-date=2010-12-18}}</ref><ref name="2ndchance">{{cite web|url=https://tv.yahoo.com/news/article/tv.accesshollywood.com/tv.accesshollywood.com-couple-who-lost-800000-foxs-million-dollar-money-drop-will-get-another-chance-play-cash|title=TV News Headlines - Yahoo TV|work=Yahoo TV|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615074838/http://tv.yahoo.com/news/article/tv.accesshollywood.com/tv.accesshollywood.com-couple-who-lost-800000-foxs-million-dollar-money-drop-will-get-another-chance-play-cash|archive-date=2011-06-15}}</ref> A year later, 3M launched a massive marketing campaign known as the Boise Blitz.<ref name="Stik2it.com" /> This campaign involved renaming the product to "Post-it Note" and giving out free samples to offices in Boise, Idaho.<ref name="Donnelly-2012" /><ref name="nyt10">{{cite news |last1=Stelter |first1=Brian |date=December 24, 2010 |title=Right on the $800,000 Question, They Lost Anyway |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/25/business/media/25show.html?_r=0 |url-status=live |access-date=2015-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201134147/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/25/business/media/25show.html?_r=0 |archive-date=2017-12-01}}</ref><ref name="Stik2it.com" /> This time, results were promising as more than 90 percent of those who received free samples indicated they would buy the product.<ref name="FT" /> Post-its were launched across the United States in 1980.<ref name="nyt10" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Spencer Silver |url=https://www.nndb.com/people/758/000173239/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.nndb.com}}</ref> The following year, they were launched in Canada and Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.3m.com/us/office/postit/pastpresent/history_tl.html|title=The Evolution of the Post-it Note|access-date=2010-02-13|publisher=3M|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212214558/http://www.3m.com/us/office/postit/pastpresent/history_tl.html|archive-date=2010-02-12}}</ref>

Post-it Flags were introduced as a new way to organize with color coding, filing and indexing.<ref name="Donnelly-2012" />

In 1995, Post-it Easel Pads were introduced. The following year, Post-it Easel Pads for kids were introduced.<ref name="3m.com" />

In 2003, the company introduced Post-it Brand Super Sticky Notes, with a stronger glue that adheres better to vertical and non-smooth surfaces.<ref name="Green">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/arts/29iht-postit.1.6413576.html|title=The all-purpose note that stuck|first=Penelope|last=Green|work=International Herald Tribune|date=2007-07-03|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624062648/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/arts/29iht-postit.1.6413576.html|archive-date=2017-06-24}}</ref>

In 2014, 3M released Post-it Super Sticky Dry Erase Surface, an instant dry erase surface that is stain-free and customizable to quickly fit on walls, cabinets, desks and more.<ref name="Donnelly-2012" />
[[File:Klaus Theweleit W71 01.jpg|thumb|[[Klaus Theweleit]] reading from a book with post-it notes as bookmarks]]
In 2018, 3M launched Post-it Extreme Notes, which are more durable and water-resistant and which stick to wood and other materials in industrial environments.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fastcodesign.com/90163130/post-it-notes-get-an-extreme-makeover|title=Post-it Notes Get an "Extreme" Makeover|last=Schwab|first=Katharine|date=March 7, 2018|work=Fast Co Design|access-date=March 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316023814/https://www.fastcodesign.com/90163130/post-it-notes-get-an-extreme-makeover|archive-date=2018-03-16|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2019, the Post-it App was relaunched.<ref name="Donnelly-2012" />

In 2020, 3M released the Post-it Flex Write Surface – a whiteboard surface that can be written on with dry erase and permanent markers without leaving stains behind when cleaned with water and soap. The company also released Post-it Foil Tabs, which were a revamp of the Post-it Tab with the purpose of satisfying the rise of personalization and bullet journaling trends of customers.<ref name="Donnelly-2012" />

In 2021, 3M revealed a new logo and launched Noted by Post-it Brand – a collection of paper goods and desktop applications.<ref name="Donnelly-2012" />

=== Awards and honors ===
The Post-it Note team received the internal 3M Golden Step Award in both 1981 and 1982 in recognition of their creation of a lucrative product that resulted in substantial new sales. Additionally, in 1981, they were honored with 3M's Outstanding New Product Award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Post-it Notes {{!}} MNopedia |url=https://www.mnopedia.org/thing/post-it-notes |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=www.mnopedia.org}}</ref>

In 2010, the creators of the Post-it note joined the [[National Inventors Hall of Fame]] as a result of the widespread success of the Post-it note.<ref name="gale-2021">{{Cite web |date=May 25, 2021 |title=Chemist whose compound made Post-it Notes stick. |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&u=albu78484&id=GALE&#124;A662797141&v=2.1&it=r&sid=ebsco |access-date=February 13, 2023 |website=gale}}</ref>

In 2019, the Post-it app was awarded 'Best of' App of 2019 by [[Google Play]].<ref name="Donnelly-2012" />

In 2021, the Post-it app won the Google Material Design Award within the motion category which awards apps that utilize unique design systems.<ref name="Frean" />

Silver and Fry both concluded their careers at 3M after achieving the highest accolades for their research and receiving numerous international engineering awards.<ref name="Donnelly-2012" />

===Competing claims===
[[Alan Amron]] claimed to have been the actual inventor in 1973 who disclosed the Post-it note technology to 3M in 1974.<ref name="LAT-Sticky">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/ct-post-it-note-inventor-lawsuit-20160311-story.html|title=Sticky lawsuit: $400M dispute lingers over Post-it inventor|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=March 12, 2016|access-date=March 13, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314063535/http://www.latimes.com/nation/ct-post-it-note-inventor-lawsuit-20160311-story.html|archive-date=March 14, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Frean">{{cite web|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/consumer/article4717729.ece|title=Sticky situation as inventor sues 3M for $400m over Post-it Notes|last=Frean|first=Alexandra|date=March 21, 2016|work=[[The Times]]|access-date=March 13, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-05-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509102359/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/consumer/article4717729.ece}}</ref> His 1997 suit against 3M resulted in a confidential settlement.<ref name="LAT-Sticky" /> As part of the settlement, Amron agreed not to make future claims against the company unless the settlement agreement should be breached.<ref name="LAT-Sticky" /> However, in 2016, he launched a further suit against 3M,<ref name="LAT-Sticky" /><ref name="Frean" /> asserting that 3M was wrongly claiming to be the inventor, and seeking $400 million in damages.<ref>''Alan Amron v. 3M Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Co. et al.'', case number 9:16-cv-80125, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.</ref> At a preliminary hearing, a [[federal judge]] ordered the parties to undergo [[mediation]].<ref name="LAT-Sticky" /> The suit was subsequently dismissed, upholding the previous 1998 settlement.<ref name="Kang">{{cite web|url=https://www.law360.com/articles/838227/fla-man-s-400m-suit-over-invention-of-post-it-notes-tossed|title=Fla. Man's $400M Suit Over Invention Of Post-It Notes Tossed|last=Kang|first=Y. Peter|date=September 9, 2016|work=[[Law360]]|access-date=March 13, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314064026/https://www.law360.com/articles/838227/fla-man-s-400m-suit-over-invention-of-post-it-notes-tossed|archive-date=March 14, 2017}}</ref>

In 1997, 3M sued [[Microsoft]] for [[trademark]] infringement for creating an electronic Post-it in Microsoft's Office 97 and using the term “Post-it” in a help file.<ref>{{Cite web |title=3M Sues Microsoft Over Post-It Note Trademark {{!}} The Seattle Times |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19970108&slug=2517732 |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=archive.seattletimes.com}}</ref>