This election is so divisive, some companies have gone silent even on basic civics

Splashy and star-studded advertisements to get Americans to vote are nowhere to be found in this election cycle.

Ahead of the 2020 election, Nike released a star-studded get-out-the-vote campaign called “You Can’t Stop Our Voice.” The video starts with a mash-up of some of the biggest sports stars, including LeBron James and Naomi Osaka, and ends with them wearing shirts emblazoned with “VOTE.” Nike wasn’t alone. Under Armour launched the digital campaign “Run to Vote,” which showed runners wearing its sports apparel and offered resources to register to vote on its website. Absolut Vodka released “Vote First, Drink Second,” the brand’s first video advertisement in years. The company also gave its employees the day off to vote. But in 2024, in an election cycle as divisive as ever, these same companies and many more have been less active in encouraging voting. Splashy and star-studded advertisements simply aren’t there. While Nike didn’t release a digital campaign for 2024, the sports apparel giant says it has partnered with the nonpartisan groups Time to Vote and When We All Vote and allowed for employees to take time off to vote. “NIKE, Inc. has a strong history of providing U.S. employees with the resources and time they need to vote. We provide eligible U.S. employees paid time off options to ensure everyone has the time, access and opportunity to cast their ballot,” the company told CNN in a statement. Under Armour and Absolut did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.