The Floating Soap That Rose to Fame

Today, we start with a household item that you've probably used dozens — maybe hundreds — of times without a second thought: a bar of soap. But not just any soap. This is the story of Ivory — the soap that floats — and how a simple accident turned into one of the greatest branding successes in American history.

Let’s rewind to the 1870s. The Procter & Gamble Company, founded in Cincinnati by a candle maker and a soap maker, was doing steady business making candles and soap for the masses. One day in 1879, something unusual happened at the P&G factory. A worker — whose name has been lost to history — left the mixing machine running while he went on a break. He forgot to turn it off.

When he came back, the soap mixture was filled with air. Rather than discard the batch, the company decided to mold and sell it anyway. What happened next was unexpected: customers started writing in to say they loved this new soap. Why? Because it floated.

In an age before indoor plumbing was common, people often bathed in rivers, lakes, or shared tubs. If you dropped your soap, it sank. But this new soap didn’t — it floated. That made it easier to use and harder to lose.

Realizing they had something special, P&G leaned in. They named the soap “Ivory” — a nod to its pure white color — and launched it with the slogan: “It Floats!” Later, they doubled down with an even bolder claim: “99 and 44/100% Pure.” That oddly specific figure came from laboratory testing and was meant to give the impression of scientific precision — a brilliant piece of marketing.
The soap’s success was meteoric. Ivory became a household name and helped transform Procter & Gamble from a regional business into a national powerhouse. But it wasn’t just the soap that floated — it was the brand.

P&G capitalized on the success by turning Ivory into more than just a bar of soap. It became a symbol of modern cleanliness, a staple in American bathrooms, and eventually a springboard for innovation. P&G used its earnings from Ivory to develop new products, fund research, and even build one of the first in-house advertising departments.

Ivory soap also marked a major shift in how companies connected with consumers. P&G began producing radio programs — actual shows with stories and characters — that subtly promoted their products. These shows were the original soap operas — literally named because they were sponsored by soap companies.

So, the next time you hear the term "soap opera," remember: it's a direct legacy of Ivory Soap and the creative marketing that surrounded it.

But perhaps the most surprising part of the story is this: the floating quality that made Ivory so famous? It was a total accident. A mistake. A moment of human error that turned into a multi-million-dollar success.

We often think of innovation as something that comes from genius or meticulous planning. But sometimes, it comes from a slip-up — from someone forgetting to turn off a machine. And what matters most is not the mistake itself, but how you respond to it.

Procter & Gamble recognized an opportunity in the unexpected, and they ran with it. They embraced what made their product different. And in doing so, they didn’t just sell soap — they changed marketing history.

Thanks for joining us on this first episode of Did You Know?. If you enjoyed the story, subscribe and share it with someone who loves a good behind-the-scenes surprise. And remember, sometimes the things that rise to the top — do so by accident.