Swan Soap

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Swan was a brand of soap marketed by Lever Brothers Company in the 1940s and 1950s. Like its competitor Ivory, it was a floating soap. Swan was advertised as a soap that could be used in the kitchen as a hand soap or in the bathroom to bathe the baby. A typical ad boasted that Swan was "the white floating soap that's purer than the finest castiles".

Lever Brothers used the Swan brand name to sponsor several radio programs, including The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show from 1941 to 1945, My Friend Irma in the late 1940s, and The Bob Hope Show from 1948 to 1949.

It is important to note that early radio (also TV) programs were sponsored by single companies, or single products. For example, during Swan Soap's sponsorship of the Burns and Allen Show, the show would have contained advertisements solely for Swan Soap. This is unlike today's TV and radio programs which may contain a dozen different sponsors. Interestingly, the ads in many old radio shows were often worked into the show's script as part of the routine.

Due to single-sponsorship programs--and the limited number of programs in those days (there were far fewer radio and TV stations in the 1930s-50s and no cable or satellite TV)--single products often gained popularity, even becoming household words. Just a few examples of this are Jell-O brand flavored gelatin, Rinso laundry soap, and Pepsi-Cola. There are dozens of other examples.

Swan Soap's print ads were colorful works of art, and often featured children, babies, soapsuds and, of course, a swan. Many people had the Swan Soap ad prints displayed on their wall at home. The art prints were made available to the public as a promotion by the company.

Another promotion was Swan Soap trading cards, which are now collectible.

Swan Soap is no longer marketed; Lever Brothers Company is known today as Unilever.