A low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive allows the notes to be easily attached, removed and even re-posted elsewhere without leaving residue.

[1] Originally small yellow squares, Post-it Notes and related products are available in various colors, shapes, sizes and adhesive strengths.

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 hymn book.

[15][16] Fry then utilized 3M's sanctioned "permitted bootlegging" policy, which allows employees to spend some of their work time on projects of their own choosing, to develop the idea.

[1] This campaign involved renaming the product to "Post-it Note" and giving out free samples to offices in Boise, Idaho.

[12] In 2003, the company introduced Post-it Brand Super Sticky Notes, with a stronger glue that adheres better to vertical and non-smooth surfaces.

[13] 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.

[13] In 2021, 3M revealed a new logo and launched Noted by Post-it Brand – a collection of paper goods and desktop applications.

[13] 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.

[26] Silver and Fry both concluded their careers at 3M after achieving the highest accolades for their research and receiving numerous international engineering awards.

[4] They offer a wide variety of advantages in a classroom—for instance, they are cost efficient, don't take time to set up, and are simple enough to be used by almost any age group.

[33] They can be used to annotate textbooks in place of standard highlighting and sideline note-taking methods, allowing the pages to remain free of markings.

[34] Additionally, Post-it notes can be used to visually guide students to important points in the textbook, helping them find information faster.

[37] Post-it notes have appeared in episodes of various TV shows, including The Office, Parks and Recreation, Being Mary Jane, and Doctor Who.

[5] Post-its have also appeared in films, including Bruce Almighty, Ex Machina, and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.

[39] As one of the top-selling consumer items on the market, Post-it notes may have a positive effect on how users take in the information presented on them.

[7] In 2012, Turkish artist Ardan Özmenoğlu was selected to have a solo exhibition at Bertrand Delacroix Gallery in the art district of Chelsea, Manhattan.

The exhibition, titled "E Pluribus Unum" (Latin for "Out of many, one"), opened November 15, 2012 and featured large scale works on Post-it notes.

[40] In 2004, Paola Antonelli, a curator of architecture and design, included Post-it notes in a show entitled "Humble Masterpieces".

[45][46]In 2016, the day after the US presidential election, artist Matthew "Levee" Chavez started a collaborative art project called “Subway Therapy.”[47][48] Levee set up tables and chairs in Union Square Station and invited commuters to express their thoughts and feelings on Post-it notes.

[9] Plans are presented here and the public can freely share their ideas, opinions, and feedback on potential projects, often in the form of Post-it note annotations.