{"id":83089,"date":"2025-06-26T18:55:08","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T18:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2025\/06\/26\/meet-melted-solids-the-scrappy-agency-behind-zohran-mamdanis-primary-winning-campaign\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T18:56:06","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T18:56:06","slug":"meet-melted-solids-the-scrappy-agency-behind-zohran-mamdanis-primary-winning-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2025\/06\/26\/meet-melted-solids-the-scrappy-agency-behind-zohran-mamdanis-primary-winning-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Melted Solids, the Scrappy Agency Behind Zohran Mamdani\u2019s Primary-Winning Campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n

Zohran Mamdani\u2019s surprising win because the Democratic nominee in New York\u2019s mayoral main shocked the political institution. It additionally shocked the scrappy staff of filmmakers behind his viral marketing campaign movies.<\/p>\n

The company driving the inventive cost isn\u2019t a standard political consultancy however a small, Brooklyn-based collective that operates extra like a guerrilla manufacturing studio than a buttoned-up agency: Melted Solids. Based in 2019 by Debbie Saslaw and Anthony DiMieri, the company\u2019s solely full-time staffers, Melted Solids goals to mix sharp storytelling with humor, a robust social media presence, and a give attention to capturing real, relatable moments.<\/p>\n

Saslaw instructed ADWEEK that Melted Solids\u2019 course of on Mamdani\u2019s marketing campaign was collaborative and sometimes chaotic. A staff of pros\u2014together with communications director Andrew Epstein, videographer Donald Borenstein and Kara McCurdy, Mamdani\u2019s marketing campaign photographer since 2020\u2014contributed to the marketing campaign. Mamdani\u2019s spouse, Rama, additionally created animations for a number of viral movies.<\/p>\n

Borenstein, who initially joined as a volunteer in early 2025, turned a key drive behind the marketing campaign\u2019s day-to-day video output. Because the election neared, they stepped right into a full-time function, usually working \u201cpractically 24\/7,\u201d in response to DiMieri. Whereas Saslaw and DiMieri balanced different gigs till the ultimate month, Borenstein\u2019s regular presence helped maintain the marketing campaign\u2019s speedy content material cadence.<\/p>\n

That DIY method has outlined Melted Solids\u2019 ethos from the beginning. \u201cThe idea was: \u2018Who do we all know that has unimaginable digital camera gear, is knowledgeable audio mixer, and actually desires to do one thing politically?\u2019\u201d DiMieri mentioned. \u201cIt\u2019s good to make use of these abilities for one thing you care about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amplifying on a regular basis voices<\/h4>\n

Melted Solids has been working with Mamdani for the final 5 years, together with tasks just like the \u201cFix the MTA\u201d<\/a> marketing campaign of 2022, which featured Mamdani driving buses with commuters to spotlight the challenges of on a regular basis New Yorkers. The marketing campaign additionally proposed phasing out bus fares over 4 years.<\/p>\n

Main as much as the 2025 main, the marketing campaign comprised a number of viral movies that showcased Mamdani throughout all 5 boroughs. Mamdani plunged into Coney Island waters to advocate for lease freezes. A Valentine\u2019s Day video contained voter registration data hidden inside a field of candies. One other video documented Mamdani\u2019s interactions on the Puerto Rican Day Parade after receiving AOC\u2019s endorsement.<\/p>\n

Its messaging was easy: amplifying the challenges going through on a regular basis, working-class residents.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"teaser-image\"<\/a> <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI\u2019m [a] marketer and storyteller, and what I assumed was essential and wanted within the political house was the power to talk to common New Yorkers, like utilizing promoting\u2026 as a vessel to listen to their considerations,\u201d Saslaw instructed ADWEEK. \u201cIt\u2019s not about Cuomo; it\u2019s not about Adams. They\u2019ve bought everyone in New York feeling like they’ll\u2019t reside right here anymore\u2013myself and Anthony included.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Saslaw and DiMieri each have high-profile backgrounds in media and promoting. Saslaw spent years crafting high-profile campaigns for HBO and Showtime, whereas DiMieri beforehand labored as an editor at companies like Digitas and 72andSunny and on political campaigns for Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.<\/p>\n

DiMieri, who additionally co-produces the favored Instagram collection SubwayTakes that discusses present occasions on the subway, utilized his social media savvy to Mamdani\u2019s marketing campaign. \u201cWe wished to make content material that bought eyeballs, bought followers, and will win within the social media house,\u201d DiMieri mentioned. \u201cOur content material technique was selection and experimentation. If one thing\u2019s working, we\u2019ll do it as soon as\u2014and if it really works, we\u2019ll do it as a collection.\u201d <\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

The marketing campaign\u2019s success has helped domesticate real, natural enthusiasm on-line. One X publish cracking, \u201cyou’ll be able to simply tweet \u2018Zohran Mamdani\u2019 instantly get 1000 likes,\u201d drew over 17\u202fmillion views, and sparked tens of hundreds of reposts as customers examined the declare.<\/p>\n

Whereas Melted Solids led the social and video inventive, different companies formed the marketing campaign as nicely. Battle, a New York-based inventive company identified for digital-first progressive campaigns, dealt with TV advertisements and contributed to media technique and focusing on. Forge, a Philadelphia-based design co-op based by Aneesh Bhoopathy and Phil Ditzler, crafted Mamdani\u2019s distinctive branding\u2014cobalt blue and marigold yellow, impressed by NYC taxis and Bollywood posters.<\/p>\n

In keeping with DiMieri, Mamdani\u2019s momentum has additionally helped Melted Solids develop from a scrappy two-person store right into a go-to inventive accomplice for progressive causes. The truth is, a number of of the company\u2019s new shoppers got here by way of Mamdani\u2019s community, together with Alliance for Paseo Park, an advocacy group for pedestrian-friendly streets in Jackson Heights; Triage, a student-led local weather motion group; and Jews for Racial and Financial Justice, a gaggle Mamdani has labored with for years.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking with Zohran has been an actual present that retains on giving,\u201d he added. \u201cHe\u2019s that good of an organizer\u2014he is aware of these folks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Waiting for the mayoral election in November, Saslaw and DiMieri\u2019s technique stays easy but efficient. \u201cWe\u2019re able to actually dispatch videographers throughout New York Metropolis,\u201d Saslaw mentioned. \u201cHowever the message stays the identical: Let unusual folks inform the story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whereas discussing Mamdani\u2019s rival, Andrew Cuomo, DiMieri mentioned, \u201cI really feel like in the event that they\u2019re going to spend $100 million towards him in damaging promoting and attempting to make folks afraid of him\u2026 the counter is folks spending time with him by way of the medium of video and seeing how genuine he really is.\u201d Cuomo told the New York Times<\/a> that he’s weighing his choices in persevering with to run within the election as an unbiased candidate.<\/p>\n

DiMieri added, \u201cAnd the technique is working.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n