Home » The Smart Marketer’s Guide to Branding Sticky Notes »
From 3M Labs to Aussie Desks: The Story Behind Branded Sticky Notes
Updated: 19 June 2025
We’ve sold thousands of branded sticky notes to businesses, organisations, and universities across Australia. From Sydney offices to regional community centres, these humble paper squares continue to show up on desks, whiteboards, and monitors. And we get it. There’s something timeless about sticky notes. They don’t rely on apps, batteries, or complicated tools. They stick. That’s why clients keep returning to us for sticky notes with their logo. They know people use them.
The Accidental Invention That Changed Desks Everywhere
Sticky notes weren’t born from a plan; they started as a mistake.
- In 1968, 3M chemist Dr Spencer Silver created a low-tack adhesive that initially didn’t seem useful.
- A few years later, his colleague Art Fry used it to mark pages in his church hymnal.
- That spark of creativity became the first sticky note prototype.
When 3M launched the product in 1977 as “Press’n Peel,” it barely made a dent in the market. But in 1980, a rebrand to “Post-it Notes” and an innovative marketing campaign changed everything.
How Sticky Notes Took Off in Australia
In the 1980s and ‘90s, Aussie workplaces enthusiastically embraced sticky notes. We’ve spoken with older clients who remember the first boxes arriving at their accounting firms and council offices. What made them catch on?
- Bright colours that stood out on cluttered desks.
- Repositionable notes that left no damage.
- A satisfying, tactile way to keep track of ideas and to-dos.
One of our long-time clients from a Sydney consultancy still orders in bulk personalised sticky notes for every new staff induction pack because they’re the one thing they know everyone will use.
Sticky Notes in Modern Australian Workplaces
Today, we see branded sticky notes used in:
- Strategy planning sessions and war rooms.
- Staff onboarding packs across local councils and corporate offices.
- Trade shows and expos, particularly in Melbourne and Brisbane, where people use them to jot booth numbers or contact names.
They’re also popular with:
- HR teams managing training sessions.
- Event organisers create interactive displays.
- Internal comms teams running wellbeing or engagement campaigns.
One Canberra department even told us they used custom colour-coded sticky notes to run a live timeline during a policy workshop. Everyone got involved.
What Makes Branded Sticky Notes So Effective?
Here’s what clients tell us when they choose sticky notes for branded giveaways:
- “We want something low-cost but useful.”
- “We need it to be flat and lightweight for mailouts.”
- “We want our logo on every desk, not buried in a drawer.”
And they’re right. Branded sticky notes hit all the marks:
- Practical
- Budget-friendly
- Everyday visibility
- Suited for all industries
You can also choose the pad size, shape, and colour to match your branding or campaign theme.
Our Experience With Logo Printed Sticky Notes (And Why We Recommend Them)
At Cubic Promote, we’ve handled everything from small community orders of 250 pads to 50,000-pad runs for national campaigns. Over time, we’ve learned a few key insights:
- Sticky notes make people pause. Unlike a fast-scrolling email, they grab attention and stay put.
- They’re democratic. Everyone from the CEO to the intern uses them.
- They generate more usage than many other branded products. Once someone starts using a pad, they rarely stop at one.
We’ve watched clients light up when they receive their custom sticky note orders. There’s pride in seeing your branding on something useful—and trust us, sticky notes are useful.
Custom Printed Sticky Notes for Events and Campaigns
Sticky notes work particularly well in:
- Workshops and training sessions – create interactive moments with staff or attendees.
- Mail campaigns – include a branded pad to increase retention.
- Pop-up events – hand out logo sticky notes as part of info kits.
We’ve supported events from local government town halls in Newcastle to sustainability expos in Adelaide. These events often need something simple, flat, and fast; sticky notes check all those boxes.
Invest in Branded Sticky Notes That Work
Custom sticky notes continue to prove their worth year after year—especially in a fast-moving, tech-heavy world. They’re simple and memorable, and they get your brand seen. Whether you’re planning a campaign, onboarding new staff, or running an event, sticky notes are a smart investment in visibility and function.
Reach out today to learn more about bulk orders, explore designs and branding options, request a quote, or speak with our team about how branded sticky notes can support your goals.
