The NYC Post-It Note Wars of Canal Street Escalate

In 2011, Paris became embroiled in a new kind of war – a Post-It Note War between the corporate offices of companies like L’Oreal, BNP Paribas, video game company Ubisoft. Now, advertising agencies on Canal Street are going at it with pop culture references (“Becky with the Good Hair,” “Hello from the Other Side,” YOLO) and veritable works of art (the Empire State Building, the Simpsons, Spiderman). Even some low-brow content: “POOP” and offers for free beer. NY1 broke the news and DNAinfo followed up with a drone video, but since then a Van Gogh/Banksy masterpiece was created.

The “war” broke out on May 9th between Havas Worldwide and Horizon Media, which are across from each other on Canal Street, joined by Cake Group and Omnicom Health Corp. Staples saw the opportunity and sent “reinforcements,” meaning more Post-It Notes. But it all began friendly enough, with an initial “Hi” posted at 75 Varick Street. Katy McCarthy Whitney and Derrick Edwin from Havas, sent a simple reply, “Sup.” And it began.