Hoover Protests Soap Cancellations, Pulls Ads From ABC
Soap fans, Hoover -- yes, the vacuum manufacturer -- feels your pain and wants you to rally! The company has pulled its ads from ABC following the cancellation of 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live.'The company took to its Facebook page to address soap fans and announce its campaign to save the canceled soap operas. Brian Kirkendall, vice president of marketing at Hoover, is urging fans to send them emails (here). Kirkendall said the company promises to "get every, single last one of them to ABC."
An anonymous ABC executive spoke to TV Guide Magazine and said Hoover's boycott is "counterintuitive"
"Usually advertisers stop advertising when they want to cancel a show, not the other way around," the executive said. "We've said that the cancellation of 'AMC' and 'OLTL' was about money and ratings, so [the Hoover boycott] is just counterintuitive. You don't save something by taking money away."
The post on Hoover's Facebook page, which has more than 10,500 fans, has more than 200 comments.
Hoover's advertisements on ABC will stop on Fri., April 22. Read Kirkendall's full note below.
To all the loyal ABC soap fans,
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. We were and are as disappointed with this news as you are.
In fact, we will discontinue our advertising with ABC this Friday, 4/22. We're making every attempt to pull our spots from these programs sooner.
Because we feel that's not enough, we also want to help get your voice heard with ABC. So, we've set up a special email address, SaveTheSoaps@Hoover.com, to help pull together the mass emotional outpouring of support for our beloved ABC soaps and get it to our contacts at ABC. Please, send your emails to us at SaveTheSoaps@Hoover.com, and we'll get every, single last one of them to ABC.
We're 150% committed to doing what matters most to you – so if there's anything else we can do to help or you have any ideas, please email this address, and we will respond to you personally.
Thank you for standing up for what matters to you! We need more of that in this world.
Brian Kirkendall
Vice President of Marketing, Hoover
Check out video of 'All My Children' star Susan Lucci's recent media appearances.
Tell us: Do you think this will help save 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live'?
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