Hoover Pulls Ads From ABC in Protest Over Canceled Soaps

6:13 PM PDT 4/18/2011 by Kimberly Nordyke

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Following the network's cancellation of "All My Children" and "One Life to Live," the vacuum maker says it's starting a campaign to get the network to reverse its decision.

Soap opera fans and stars aren't the only ones upset over ABC's decision to cancel its long-running daytime dramas All My Children and One Life to Live.

ABC Cancels 'All My Children,' 'One Life to Live'

Vacuum maker Hoover said Monday that it's "disappointed" over the news and, as a result, plans to pull its ads from the network.

"We will discontinue our advertising with ABC this Friday, 4/22," Hoover vp marketing Brian Kirkendall wrote on the company's Facebook page Monday. "We're making every attempt to pull our spots from these programs sooner."

He also said the company has set up a special email address, SaveTheSoaps@Hoover.com, in an effort to "help pull together the mass emotional outpouring of support for our beloved ABC soaps and get it to our contacts at ABC."

Wrote Kirkendall: "I want you to know from me personally that we hear you loud and clear. My wife and mother are both passionate viewers of All My Children and One Life to Live, as are many of my colleagues here at Hoover."

Hoover isn't the only starting a campaign to keep the soaps on the air.

Fan Brad Saiontz has launched a Facebook group asking Oprah Winfrey to pick up the two shows for her cable channel, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. So far, the group has 305 members.

ABC made the announcement Thursday that AMC would end in September, while OLTL would air its finale in January. In their place, the network will launch two new younger-skewing, lifestyle-oriented series, The Chew and The Revolution.

Email: Kimberly.Nordyke@thr.com