Vacuum company Hoover pulls ads from ABC over soap cancellations

An executive at Hoover is so upset about ABC's decision to cancel two legendary soaps that he and other executives are pulling the company's ads from the network. The vacuum company has been a longstanding advertiser with ABC, but that storyline has just met what some would call an untimely end.

On Monday, a Hoover vice president wrote on the firm's Facebook page: "To all the loyal ABC soap fans, I want you to know that we hear you loud and clear."

Brian Kirkendall, Hoover's vice president of marketing, went on to say, "We were and are as disappointed with this news as you are. In fact, we will discontinue our advertising with ABC this Friday."

Additionally, Hoover is issuing a call to action and is setting up an email address—SaveTheSoaps@Hoover.com—"to help pull together the mass emotional outpouring of support for our beloved ABC soaps," the marketing VP wrote. "Please, send your emails to us and we'll get every single last one of them to ABC."

He continued by saying, "We're 150 percent committed to doing what matters most to you. Thank you for standing up for what matters to you! We need more of that in this world."

The reaction was immediate. The page was flooded with comments in support of the classic ABC soaps that employ hundreds and that have been a training ground for some of the world's most famous actors.

The next day Kirkendall had 400 emails about the topic.

Kirkendall said he was moved to making the stand after visiting his soap fan mother in the hospital last week and learning of ABC's plan to cancel the long-running shows.

Many of the supporters' comments on the Hoover Facebook page and others related to the cancelation of the shows reiterate how much they are part of many people's daily lives. Countless comments relate to how people remember their moms and grandmothers watching the show. Often times they grew up watching them too or would get sucked into them without realizing it.

Many also don't understand why two diversely different scripted shows with such history are being replaced with common talk-show type formats that have seemingly sprung up on numerous cable and local television channels.