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Zohran Mamdani, who will be New York City’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor, defined his improbable run with vivid blue and orange graphics that nodded to Bollywood posters and the city’s bodegas, taxis, and carts. Designed by Aneesh Bhoopathy with a retro, hand-painted feel, the look stood out so strongly that Andrew Cuomo adopted similar colors for his independent bid after losing the Democratic primary. Scholars compared the branding’s impact to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s, noting viral merch and a takeaway: specific, meaningful visuals resonate.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.