A Brief History of Promotional Stickers

In our last blog post we looked into the history of magnets, one of the major promotional items that we produce in our factory. Another prime promotional product that we offer are printed stickers, so we thought it was only fair to look into their history as well.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin…

Once upon a time in the 1800s European merchants decided that it would be a smart idea to attach eye catching labels to their crates of goods in order to attract the attention of passers-by. These labels detailed the goods on offer as well as prices and were originally attached using gum paste, and therefore adopted the name ‘stickers’.

During the 1900s the technique was developed and a paste was formulated that would, once applied to the back of a label, dry and then its ‘stick’ would be activated when moisture was applied. Postage stamps adopted this technique as well as travel companies who would attach these labels to passenger’s luggage as a form of identification.

In 1935 R Stanton Avery invented the first self-adhesive and the Avery Company continues to be a world leader in the sticker/label industry today.

Then there is the car bumper sticker. The first bumper stickers appeared shortly before World War II; they were flag-like, and attached to the bumper by wires. The wire attachments were replaced with pressure sensitive adhesive, and as a result bumper stickers became more widespread and practical.

But it isn’t just advertising. Stickers have also become popular with children who attach them to their walls, beds and school books, or just using them as part of activity books. At Badger Design we produce kiss-cut sticker sheets that can be used as promotional gifts for children, another way to get your brand out there!

Promotional stickers have become an integral part of advertising and are a fun and cost effective way to get your brand noticed, and there are so many types to choose from:

So there you have it, don’t let your brand meet a sticky end, use stickers to make your company really stick in the minds of your clients!

sources: stickerpalace.com

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