Lessons in Social Media from Zohran Mamdani’s Mayoral Victory

We believe digital strategy can be a real force for good - helping drive change and make a lasting difference.

We love creating campaigns that bring people together and build genuine community. Zohran Mamdani’s win in the New York City mayoral race is an exciting example of how today’s political and organizational movements can use social media to genuinely connect with - and mobilize - a diverse, modern audience.

Mamdani’s journey is remarkable: he surged from polling as low as one percent in February to winning the Democratic primary with 56 percent by July, a momentum that was powered in large part by social media. His win makes him New York City’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor - and its youngest in a century. But this wasn’t just a win at the ballot box; it was a masterclass in modern digital engagement, proving that authenticity and humanity can still cut through, even in the age of algorithms. Speaking the Many Languages of New York

What really stood out about Mamdani’s campaign was his commitment to reaching every New Yorker - especially those often overlooked by mainstream politics. In a city where more than 800 languages are spoken and 2.5 million people struggle with English, Mamdani’s approach felt both personal and inclusive. As a Ugandan-born South Asian Muslim who speaks Hindi and Urdu, he used that fluency to connect with communities through dynamic, multilingual social media videos.

The campaign resonated so powerfully because it prioritized multilingual outreach - in Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, and Bengali - and celebrated the city’s cultural diversity at every turn. For example, a video explaining ranked choice voting featured him mimicking Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and using metaphors like mango lassi. Later, a video with Council Member Shahana Hanif used mishti doi (a sweet yoghurt dessert from Bengal) to explain the voting process.

By weaving in culturally relevant references and pairing them with a clear message about his vision for an affordable New York City, Mamdani’s content hit home. What started on public platforms like Instagram quickly spread to private spaces - WhatsApp family groups and second-generation South Asian text threads - where real conversations took off and, ultimately, inspired people to get out and vote.

The Power of the ‘Vibe Campaign’

Mamdani’s approach effectively transformed politics into culture. His campaign heavily relied on engaging social media posts, quickly turning him into a “vibe”. He and his team have a sharp grasp of the modern digital ecosystem, using short-form video on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels to strike the right balance between humor, accessibility, and clear policy discussion.

Crucially, the campaign’s digital momentum sparked a wave of organic, user-generated content. Supporters created their own videos using memes, music, and cultural touchpoints to express genuine connection with Mamdani’s platform. This kind of authentic enthusiasm - which is impossible to fabricate - transformed him from an unknown candidate into a household name. Even the campaign’s visual identity broke from convention, featuring unexpected purple and yellow-gold tones inspired by local grocery store signage to evoke warmth, familiarity, and an everyman appeal.

Trust and Substance Over Stunts

We often emphasize to our partners that creativity only works when it serves substance. Mamdani’s campaign proved that point perfectly. His content was engaging and beautifully produced, but what really made it resonate was the substance behind it - his vision and platform sat at the heart of everything he shared. He took big ideas like affordable housing and free buses and turned them into everyday issues that mattered to everyone but the billionaires.

His approach was simple: walk first, post later. By turning real conversations and field notes into policy proposals, he made his digital presence feel genuine, not manufactured. He built for cycles, not viral spikes - earning trust by showing up, listening, learning, and then acting, again and again. Because no amount of marketing can sell a bad product. Mamdani’s communication was clear, straightforward, and deeply relatable to New Yorkers focused on their everyday needs.

The lesson for any organization, be it a charity, a purpose-driven organization, or a political campaign, is that digital engagement is not about tricks; it’s about authentic human connection, consistent messaging, and delivering a product worth believing in. It’s about putting the "social" back into social media.

• Ensure your digital strategy is informed by real-world conversations and community feedback. Use social listening to understand what people genuinely need and turn those insights into actionable policies or campaign points.
• If your audience is multilingual, use multiple languages in your content. Go beyond translation by incorporating culturally relevant references (like popular media or local food items) to create immediate connection and facilitate family/community sharing.
• Use short-form video and humor to capture attention, but ensure that your core policy or mission remains clear, simple, and focused. The engagement must serve the substance, as great marketing cannot sell a flawed product.
• Don't just broadcast; create content that is highly shareable and inspires supporters to become co-creators. When your message resonates deeply, supporters will create genuine, hard-to-manufacture user-generated content for you.
• Maintain a consistent ethos and tone across all platforms and formats, avoiding the panic that leads to shapeshifting. Trust compounds when you show up, listen, and show proof of action repeatedly, focusing on building long-term cycles of engagement, not just chasing a single viral spike.

We believe that authenticity, cultural fluency, and clear storytelling aren’t just nice-to-haves - they’re what move people to act. Whether you’re rallying a community, building a movement, or driving awareness, we’ll help you craft campaigns that feel human, resonate deeply, and deliver results. Get in touch with us today!