Post-it Notes, Sticky Notes, Adhesive Notes: they may seem like different names for the same thing, but they often mean very different products. Does it matter? Well, that depends on if you like having to clean adhesive residue off of things, or if you like having the note you left for someone missed because it ended up on the floor.
Here are the basics:
Post-It Notes were invented by 3M and were the first re-positional notes available and the first to be offered with a custom imprint. They use adhesive of a quality and consistency that only 3M can offer. We have never had a complaint about the quality of a 3M Post-it pad. All Post-it brand notes are printed by 3M at their production facility in Minnesota and nowhere else. If a company is telling you they print Post-it Notes in house, they are lying to you or selling you something else.
Sticky Notes are the brand name of the pads made by Bic. After working with Bic on a dozen orders, we decided their product was not something we could stand behind or cared to promote. Due to this and other problems with orders manufactured by Bic we no longer offer Bic Sticky Notes as a standard option. We will sell you a Bic pad if you insist upon it and have a large enough order, but only after explaining the quality concerns we have with Bic’s Sticky Notes and trying to find you a 3M product that will fit your needs and budget.
There are several other companies offering “Adhesive Notes” with similar quality issues to Bic.
So what is the difference?
Bic and the other generic brands can offer slightly better pricing in some cases (mostly small orders with lots of different colors in the printing), but not in all cases (we have never seen 3M’s price be beat on larger orders).
The biggest difference in the pad is the adhesive used. 3M has been making post-it notes for over 30 years and 3M’s Post-it Notes have a perfect amount of the correct type of adhesive on every sheet in every pad. The adhesive used in the pads made by Bic and other generic brands is often too sticky or not sticky enough and often has an inconsistent application on the paper.
I once made the mistake of using a Bic Sticky Note on my computer monitor, but never again. It took glass cleaner to remove the adhesive residue left by the Bic Sticky Note and the resulting dust spot (in the perfect rectangle shape of the note’s adhesive area) from my monitor.
Bic’s pads are printed using 4 color process printing, so they can offer more colors cheaper, but can NEVER get an exact color match. 3M’s standard Postit Notes are printed using spot colors. They can guarantee an exact PMS color match on every pad. Your blue will always be your blue when printed in spot color, but it will often be off a little bit when printed with the process color that other companies use. 3M does offer 4 color process printing if you need it on all the pad sizes they offer.
3M also offers a 4×6 Value Line Pad and a 4×3 Value Line Pad if you have an imprint that can be printed well in a 4 color process and want the value that 4 color process (CYMK) printing offers.
Need something sticker?
3M offers Super Sticky Pads for an additional 15% that are great for sticking on vertical and non-smooth surfaces that need just a little bit more “sticky-ness” for the notes to stay in place.
We have been working with 3M and selling Post-it notes for almost 20 years. If you have a question on custom printed Post-it Notes or if you would like to place an order please give us a call and we will be happy to help you.
