Designers of point of purchase (POP) merchandising displays have been relying on the simple yet effective design of S Hooks for years. Today they come standard with Clip Strip® Merchandisers. They’re also commonly used to connect ceiling hanging systems and signage in retail stores. But how did the inventor know to design such a product when he needed to attach a few banner hangers to his shop’s ceiling? The answer lies in the versatile history of the S Hook – and its cousins – which includes moments in the shop, in the field, in the lake, in the kitchen – and even in ancient Roman warfare.
Also known as Double-Ended Hooks, these display accessories were invented for use with product displays over a century ago. The technology behind the hook itself, however, has been used for thousands of years. S Hooks are still commonly found in kitchens where they hang pots, pans and large utensils from the ceiling to help save precious counter space. These convenient kitchen hangers are closely related to our well-known POP display accessories; however, it’s commonly overlooked that their distant relatives lived in a world that was filled with danger.
Hooks have been effectively hanging and connecting items dockside since the first merchandisers realized they could ship their products across the world. They have also been used in lumberyards (to hold logs between 2 people) and in agriculture as well to bail hay, among other activities. But – before these convenient tools were ever used to hang, connect, hold or bail materials – they were used as siege weapons in ancient Roman warfare.
That means ancient military strategists such as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and my personal favorite Theban general, Epaminondas, relied on the same technology as modern merchandising planners. Grappling hooks were a crude device with multiple hooks stemming from a central anchor designed to hook into enemy walls. Besides the structural evolution, the only real difference was that the original business goal focused on tearing down walls rather than hanging banners or holding up promotional signage… But those are minor details, right?
The less aggressive S Hook, or Double-Ended Hook, with which we are all familiar, was invented in 1907. Edward Jacob Hill of Great Britain patented it in 1907 to improve upon its closed-loop predecessor. This new hook style has remained an industry standard to this day thanks to its smart design, which makes it very easy to connect, reposition, and replace signs or other sign hanging hardware. You can also use extra large S Hooks to hang signs and merchandising strips from other retail displays, clamps or hooks. They work especially well in conjunction with suspended ceiling hooks to easily hang signage in ideal locations.
Happy merchandising, Commander!