BY MAYA KUKES
Illustration by Jenni Sparks
WE SLAP THEM on laptops, water bottles, cars…stickers are everywhere! They proclaim our favorite TV shows, sneaker brands, and sports teams. The exact origin of stickers is unclear, though humans have been playing around with adhesives (in the form of plant- and animal-based glue) as a way to decorate objects for millennia. The 18th-century French engraver Simon Ravenet is credited with inventing a design-transfer technique called decalcomania that’s a precursor to today’s decals. And in 1840, the British educator Rowland Hill released the first adhesive (activated by saliva) postage stamp. But it wasn’t until the 1930s that the American inventor R. Stanton Avery built a contraption— using parts from a washing machine, a sewing machine, and a saber saw—that could make self-sticking, peel-off labels. Behold, the modern sticker! A few more fun facts:
THEY HID IMPERFECTIONS AND TIPPED OFF SUITORS
The ancient Romans stuck patches on their faces to cover blemishes, and in 16th-century Europe, patches became a popular way to hide smallpox scars. Over the next few centuries, stickerlike beauty marks, cut into various shapes from materials like velvet and silk, rose to the height of fashion. The placement supposedly held special meaning: A mark above the lip could indicate the wearer was a flirt, while one near the eye might communicate passion.
THEY MADE THEIR WAY TO CARS
Fast-forward to the 1940s, when a silkscreen printer in Missouri invented the bumper sticker. The first versions featured tourist attractions, and political ones followed.
The 1952 presidential campaign between Adlai Stevenson and Dwight D. “I Like Ike” Eisenhower is considered the first election where bumper stickers came into play.
THEY STARTED TO SMELL
A decade later, a 3M scientist reportedly invented scratch-and-sniff technology by accident while trying to make carbonless paper. By the 1980s, we had stickers that smelled like pepperoni pizza, hamburgers, gasoline, and pretty much anything you could think of.
THEY HELP US D O WHAT’S RIGHT
Those “I voted” stickers we grab at the polls became prevalent in the ’80s. Some experts say people are more likely to vote if they know they’ll have an opportunity to broadcast that they’ve done their civic duty (social image is a powerful motivator). Also: Please vote!