Blu-Tack
Encyclopedia
Blu-Tack is a versatile, reusable putty
Putty
Putty is a generic term for a plastic material similar in texture to clay or dough typically used in domestic construction and repair as a sealant or filler. Painter's Putty is typically a linseed oil based product used for filling holes, minor cracks and defacements in wood only...
-like pressure-sensitive adhesive
Pressure sensitive adhesive
Pressure sensitive adhesive is adhesive which forms a bond when pressure is applied to marry the adhesive with the adherend...
produced by Bostik
Bostik
Bostik is an international adhesives company, a subsidiary of the French oil and gas company Total S.A., head-quartered at Paris. The company was created as Bostik Findley in 2001 after the merger of Bostik and Ato Findley, following the merger of their parent companies, Total Fina and Elf...
, commonly used to attach papers to walls or other surfaces.
The original version of the product was white but fear that children would mistake it for a sweet, they then made it blue, seeing as no sweets were blue at the time. But many colours are now available.
History
In 1970, laboratory researcher Alan Holloway was working for sealant manufacturer Ralli Bondite of WaterloovilleWaterlooville
Waterlooville is a town in Hampshire, England approximately 8 miles north of Portsmouth.The town has a population itself of about 10,000 and is surrounded by Purbrook, Blendworth, Cowplain, Lovedean, Clanfield, Catherington, Crookhorn, Denmead, Hambledon, Horndean and Widley. It forms part of...
, England. Holloway inadvertently produced a product that was useless as a sealant, but pliable and semi-elastic. This novelty product was demonstrated by Ralli Bondite management to visiting executives from another sealant and adhesive manufacturer, as a means of wall mounting notices. There was no need for secrecy about the formula, as it was of no use for a gun-grade mastic
Mastic (disambiguation)
Mastic can refer to:*Mastic , a resin obtained from Pistacia lentiscus Var. Chia *False Mastic , a tree native to Florida, the Caribbean, and Central America...
, the main product of Ralli Bondite. In the beginning the potential of this material was not fully recognized, until later when Bostik commenced research into the development of what they were eventually to launch as Blu-Tack. In its conceptual stage Blu-Tack was white, but was coloured blue in response to concerns received from marketing research
Marketing research
Marketing research is "the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information — information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve...
regarding the possibility of children mistaking it for edible confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
.
In the United S
tates during March 2008, Blu-Tack changed colour for the first time since 1971 – to pink – to help raise money for Breast Cancer Campaign. 20,000 numbered packs were made available, 10% from each pack going to the charity. The formulation was slightly altered to retain complete consistency with its blue counterpart. Since then, many coloured variations have been made, including the green (Halloween pack), red and white.
Blu-Tack launched a competition in October 2009 to "Create the next Blu-Tack advert" that will be used for their 2010 campaign film maker competition.
Similar products
In South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
Blu-Tack is commonly known as "Prestik
Prestik
Prestik is a rubber-like temporary adhesive that is marketed in South Africa, and manufactured by Bostik. It is water resistant, and can be used in temperatures from -30C to 100C. It can be used to secure things in place, such a pieces of paper on walls or fridge doors. It is similar to Blu...
" (as made by Bostik), or "Sticky Stuff" (as made by Pritt). In Iceland it is known as "kennaratyggjó" which translates as "teacher's chewing gum."
Similar products from other manufacturers include "Tack-it" by Faber-Castell,"Buddies" (coloured pink), "Pritt-Tack", "Poster Putty", "Tac 'N Stick", "Ticky Tack", "Sticky Tack" and "White Tack" by German company UHU
UHU
UHU GmbH & Co. KG is a manufacturer of adhesive products, based in Bühl, Germany. Its company slogan is "Don't say glue, say UHU!". The company logo is yellow with black lettering and in many markets it includes the German phrase: "Der Alleskleber" .- History :In 1905, August Fischer, a dispensing...
.
In the US, a similar, competing product in an orange colour is marketed under the brand "Elmer's Tack."
In Italy and France a similar but not equal product is Patafix by UHU.
Uses
Like all poster putties, Blu-Tack provides an excellent alternative to the artist's traditional kneaded eraser, having a superior grip and plasticity. Blu-Tack can be finely shaped and worked into even very small areas. Like kneaded erasers, it can be stretched and kneaded to freshen its working surfaces. Blu-Tack's unique density and grip make it a favorite of graphite artists around the world.Blu-Tack is also used for sculpture. Artist Elizabeth Thompson created a giant 200 kilogram sculpture of a spider using Blu-Tack over a wire frame. It took 4000 packs and was exhibited at London Zoo in 2007. Other artists have created works from the material, and there is a large international body of dedicated users of Blu-Tack who create minor art works and stop-motion animation. The British Blu-Tack web site takes a keen interest in these activities and has a section devoted to them.