3M gave its reusable adhesive notes the brand name Post-it Notes when they launched nationally in the United States in 1980.
The product grew from two separate discoveries at 3M. Spencer Silver developed a pressure-sensitive adhesive that could be removed without leaving much residue. Art Fry, seeking a way to mark pages in his church hymnal, realized that the adhesive could hold a small paper marker in place while still allowing it to be moved.
3M tested the notes under the name Press 'n Peel before introducing them as Post-it Notes. An initial 1977 test market produced weak results, but a later sampling campaign in Boise, Idaho, generated strong interest. The product then received a broad U.S. launch in 1980.
The term “sticky note” describes the product category, but Post-it Notes is the specific 3M brand. Their familiar pale-yellow color was not the result of a grand color strategy; early developers used leftover yellow paper available in the laboratory.