What can we learn about marketing from Zohran Mamdani’s New York Mayoral campaign?

This week, history was made when NYC’s youngest mayor in over a century was elected. As well as being the first Muslim and South Asian to win, Zohran Mamdani’s campaign became one of the most digitally‑savvy in NYC mayoral history and elevated how digital tactics can create electoral buzz.

With this win becoming one for the history books, what lessons can be learned about marketing from his campaign?  

Be where your audience is  

Whether it’s attending a tai chi class, making guest appearances at a club or concert, giving gifts to the cab drivers of NYC or sharing his message at a rally, Zohran Mamdani made sure he was where his audience could be, which, in this case, was the whole of New York. 

Embodying the city that never sleeps, Zohran made sure to be in as many community spaces as possible, connecting on a meaningful level with the people he wants to represent.  

With the average age of a New Yorker being 38, and Zohran himself being 34, clear, respectful communication to his peers played a role in his victory. 

Often with politics, the youth voice is decentred, but Zohran’s campaign tactics swung the opposite way, shouting even louder about the future of New York, affordability and the immigrant nation, which are topics his voters are talking about. 

The power of social media creativity 

It’s not often that politicians successfully utilise social trends, with plenty of examples of it being done badly or too late. However, this campaign is a great example of getting it right. TikTok and video podcast series have been huge for his campaign, and by creating a trending sound to his own name, he was leading the conversation online.  

His team didn’t just post on social media with pledges, every video produced was cinematic, featured the real people of New York, tapped into memes and featured collaborations with celebrities. This tactic has meant that Zohran has been viewed worldwide, with people creating their own trends off the back of his posts. He has even started a movement with the Mayor of Jersey City, Mussab Ali, using his videos as inspiration to his own campaign, quoting himself as ‘the black Zohran Mamdani’ - a name the internet has branded him.  

Authenticity is key  

With short attention spans and more content to consume than ever, people crave authenticity, and it’s become easier to spot a fake. Whether it’s a brand or a person, audiences want consistent honesty.  

Not only did Zohran deploy honesty, but relatability too.  On an NBC New York interview, he was asked if he had ever purchased marijuana from a legal shop, and in complete honesty, he answered “yes”. When interviewed on the TikTok series ‘Are You Okay?, he was asked what he would love to erase from the internet, and again he responded with a cringy music video he was once in. This authenticity built a strong sense of trust and his audience felt like they could connect to him on a personal level – showcasing the importance of building relationships with your audience. 

Marketing yourself like a brand 

One of the biggest lessons to take from this campaign is the importance of marketing the individual like a brand too. Reputation is hugely important, and by creating a proper brand strategy to showcase himself, Zohran Mamdani successfully hit the mark each time.  

Encompassing all of the above strategies, Zohran Mamdani has paved the way for fun and authentic marketing within American politics. Whether you agree with his policies or not, his name is globally recognised, and his digital footprint has grown exponentially in just a short space of time. 

These are lessons all marketers can utilise for their own campaigns and are a solid indication that whatever industry you are in, brand reputation and strategy matters.