Inside Mamdani's Viral Video Team

"Over the subsequent year, Mamdani's videos would often find their way into my and many other people's social feeds. There was the viral video about " Halalflation" and another one about FIFA World Cup tickets getting too expensive, not to mention videos of Mamdani walking across Manhattan and canvassing the taxi line at LaGuardia ( Icouldkeepgoing). When he eventually won the election, Mamdani put out another video, this one recalling the Fordham Road video. It went viral, too, racking up millions of views on X."

"Whatever one feels about Mamdani's politics, his team ran a digital campaign that left even competitors impressed. It embraced some of the classic approaches that have propelled outsider, insurgent candidates in the past. But it did so with a fluency in social media, narrative storytelling, and political videography that has largely evaded other Democrats. Naturally, I was curious about how they pulled it off. So I spent last week talking to the people behind Mamdani's viral videos"

A three-minute Fordham Road video captured New Yorkers explaining why they voted for Trump while Mamdani mostly listened, revealing a visual, observational style. Multiple subsequent videos addressed topics such as "Halalflation," FIFA World Cup ticket prices, walks across Manhattan, and canvassing the LaGuardia taxi line, each earning widespread circulation. The campaign combined classic insurgent political tactics with a fluency in social media, narrative storytelling, and political videography. Competitors expressed admiration for the execution. Conversations with the creators highlighted deliberate approaches to content, audience engagement, and the craft behind viral political videos.

Read at Thebulwark