One of the hallmarks of Zohran Mamdani's successful mayoral campaign was its stunning yet endearing short-form videos, shot across New York. Thanks to a collective effort by several media innovators, Mamdani's platform rapidly grew during his campaign, amassing a whopping 11.5 million followers on Instagram. Mamdani's team in 2025 included media agency Melted Solids, videographer Donald Borenstein, photographer Kara McCurdy, and creative director Andrew Epstein. While Mamdani’s focus was on New York, the group's work managed to reach millions of viewers across the globe, making Mamdani one of the most recognized politicians in the world. A few of the campaign's most popular works included a video of Mamdani speaking to taxi drivers outside LaGuardia International Airport, and the viral “halalflation” video, filmed inside halal food carts across the city. The videos highlighted Mamdani as a New Yorker speaking to other New Yorkers, often in everyday settings familiar to city residents — appealing to a wider audience rather than just a few specific demographics.
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Melted Solids, comprised of Anthony DiMieri and Debbie Saslaw, used a new hybrid advertising model that combined brand marketing and local politics. According to ADWEEK, a distinct aspect of Melted Solids’ strategy involved letting Mamdani riff in front of the camera, before developing content around what happened during filming. The strategy resulted in intimate, relatable videos that cemented Mamdani’s role as a New Yorker while showcasing issues his policies could potentially change. Borenstein said Mamdani stuck to a social video strategy rather than treating it as a one-off experience.
