HBO’s All-Star Cast Quietly Urges Americans to Vote in a Powerful Spot

Celebrities have donned black for Time’s Up, marched on the White House advocating for women’s rights and gun reform, and ultimately have been the face and driving force behind social change across America. But come November, the only voice that will truly matter is the voice of the American people—granted they get to the polls for the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.

On National Voter Registration Day, HBO becomes one of a growing number of brands to partner with Rock the Vote to encourage people to get to the polls.

In its 60-second ad released today on Twitter, an all-star cast of HBO stars including Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright and Ed Harris, Silicon Valley’s Kumail Nanjiani and The Deuce’s Maggie Gyllenhaal, among many others, appear before the screen and utter absolutely no words—and it easily is one of the most powerful arguments for getting Americans to the polls.

At the polls it doesn’t matter how many Academy Awards, Emmys, Golden Globes, etc., you may or may not have—every voice is equal.

“The right to vote is one of the most ignored gifts of our democracy,” Dennis Williams, HBO’s senior vice president of corporate social responsibility, said in a statement. “At HBO, we often have programs that give voice to the underrepresented. This partnership with Rock the Vote is us encouraging you to use your voice so that you are heard.”

In addition to the main video, participating actors have also recorded custom 15-second spots in which they stare blankly at viewers followed by the message “Right now, there’s only one voice that needs to be heard. Yours.”

HBO has created an online landing page to register voters with Rock the Vote. It is also activating a college ambassador program with the organization across 50 campuses nationwide—encompassing 100 ambassadors—that includes voter registration drives and a text-to-register feature.

“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with HBO on this effort,” Carolyn DeWitt, Rock the Vote president and executive director, said in a statement. “There needs to be a heightened awareness of the importance of all American voices, especially those of young people. By voting, these voices can be put to real use. HBO’s commitment to engaging their viewers and emphasizing the power of youth voters is not only inspiring, but critical in helping make an unprecedented impact at the polls this election season.”

Other brands including Levi’s, the Gap, Patagonia, Walmart and the North Face, have also joined Rock the Vote in a “Time to Vote” challenge, a nonpartisan pledge to increase voter turnout. (The 2014 midterm elections drew a historically low voter turnout of just 41.9 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.)

Lindsay Rittenhouse

@kitten_mouse

Lindsay Rittenhouse is a staff writer at Adweek, where she specializes in covering the world of agencies and their clients.