Marilyn Chambers’s casting turned into an explosive publicity crisis. Shortly before Behind the Green Door became a national phenomenon, Chambers had been the wholesome model on Ivory Snow detergent packaging — the archetypal 'soap girl' holding a baby. The Mitchells gleefully amplified that juxtaposition, invoking Ivory Snow’s old slogan '99 and 44/100% pure' in press material. The result was a scandal that rattled Madison Avenue: Procter & Gamble quietly recalled advertising materials featuring Chambers and instituted new, rigorous background checks for models. Rather than killing interest, the corporate purge amplified the film's notoriety, supplied late‑night jokes and press fodder, and helped drive curious audiences into theaters.
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AI concept artworkArchive Record · 1970s
The Ivory Snow Girl Scandal: Marilyn Chambers' Soap‑Ad Past Sparks a Corporate Backlash
Marilyn Chambers / Behind the Green Door / 1970s
Marilyn Chambers’s casting turned into an explosive publicity crisis. Shortly before Behind the Green Door became a national phenomenon, Chambers had been the wholesome model on Ivory Snow detergent packaging — the archetypal 'soap girl' holding a baby. The Mitchells gleefully amplified that juxtaposition, invoking Ivory Snow’s old slogan '99 and 44/100% pure' in press material. The result was a scandal that rattled Madison Avenue: Procter & Gamble quietly recalled advertising materials featuring Chambers and instituted new, rigorous background checks for models. Rather than killing interest, the corporate purge amplified the film's notoriety, supplied late‑night jokes and press fodder, and helped drive curious audiences into theaters.
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