The Authenticity Gap: Can Cuomo and Adams Outdo Zohran Mamdani's Viral Social Media Campaign?

Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams are attempting to mimic the online success of Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayor’s race. Mamdani’s key to success was a combination of a viral social media presence, a focus on affordability, and an exhaustive ground game. His opponents have taken notice, and now it’s a game of catch-up, with Cuomo and Adams releasing videos in an effort to emulate Mamdani's style. However, despite their best efforts, it seems they are struggling to replicate Mamdani's authenticity and connection with voters.

Key Takeaways:

• Mamdani's videos have garnered immense popularity, with one video reaching 3.5 million views on X and another at Madison Square Garden getting six million views.
• Cuomo and Adams's video efforts have drawn less attention, with the Kosciuszko Bridge video receiving 128,000 views and the pull-up video getting 351,000 views, but still far shy of Mamdani's viral heights.
• Mamdani's authenticity and populist politics have been praised by his adviser, Andrew Epstein, who attributes the voters' skepticism towards Cuomo and Adams's records as a major factor.
• Voters are seeking authenticity and transparency, with neutral observers like Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh describing Cuomo and Adams's videos as inauthentic and lacking genuine connection with New Yorkers.
• Matthew Kulvicki, who directed a documentary about Mamdani, described his videos as "truly excellent" and "brought out the best in him," while criticizing Cuomo and Adams's videos as "somewhat forced."
• Cuomo's spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, emphasized that the new video strategy is part of a broader retooling of the campaign, but critics argue Cuomo and Adams are struggling to match Mamdani's energy online due to a generational divide.
• Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, accused Cuomo and Adams of failing to match Mamdani's online energy, attributing it to their age and lack of understanding of the younger generation's preferences.

Statistics:

• Mamdani's video about affordability has garnered 3.5 million views on X.
• Cuomo's Kosciuszko Bridge video has received 128,000 views on X.
• Adams's pull-up video has gotten 351,000 views.
• Mamdani's video at Madison Square Garden has gotten six million views.
• Cuomo's age is 67.
• Adams's age is 64.

Sources:

• "Cuomo, Adams seek to up their online game" by New York Times, no date provided.
• "Zohran Mamdani’s Viral Videos Help Him Win the New York City Democratic Primary" by The New York Times, no date provided.
• "Adams, Cuomo, Sliwa and Mamdani face off in NYC mayoral primary" by NY1, no date provided.