Northeast Ohio man behind Hoover's efforts to save soaps

HUDSON, Ohio - Brian Kirkendall of Hudson was shocked last week when he learned of ABC's decision to cancel long running soap operas "All My Children" and "One Life to Live."

He was visiting his mother, a soap fan, in the hospital at the time.

"She's like when you were a baby," he said. "You used to sit beside me and we'd watch them together, you were kind of raised watching those shows."

Then Kirkendall called his wife Christine to tell her.

"She was like what am I going to do without the Buchanans?"

When Kirkendall logged on to his work's Facebook page Sunday night, though, he quickly found that what he was hearing from his family was also what he was hearing from customers all over the country. You see, Brian is vice president of marketing for Hoover Vacuums, a soap advertiser.

"I was just like what am I going to do as the steward of the Hoover brand I got to do something," he said.

On Monday, he decided to post a personal message on Facebook.

Kirkendall wrote, "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," he wrote.

The reaction was immediate and overwhelming.

"I posted it from my blackberry in the back of a car as innocent as could be. The next thing you know," he said. "I've got 4,000 emails today."

"Never thought I'd be the front man of the movement to save the soaps, I was just reacting to messages on our website," he said.

The Facebook post also links fans to a website for them to sound off to ABC savethesoaps@hoover.com

Hoover's parent company is TTI Floor Care, which is based in Glenwillow just outside Solon.