Morris Katz, ad-maker at the Fight media firm, is the lead media strategist for Zohran Mamdani's insurgent campaign that secured the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City in a decisive upset over the long-favored Andrew Cuomo. In this conversation, Morris talks his NYC roots, coming from an artistic family, his accidental path into politics, and a deep dive into the Mamdani campaign's monumental win. We discuss the candidates, the overarching strategy, important tactical decisions, inside the memorable viral and paid media content, the role of outside groups, what is misunderstood about the race, what is replicable for others and much more with a lead operative on one of the most impressive and innovative campaigns in recent memory.
IN THIS EPISODE
Morris grows up in downtown Manhattan in an artistic household...
What diverted Morris from focusing on screenwriting to a career in politics...
How a stint in North Carolina politics shaped Morris' trajectory...
What is unique about Morris' firm, Fight...
How Morris entered the world of Zohran Mamdani & his first impressions of the candidate...
Morris breaks down the 3-phase strategy of the Mamdani mayoral campaign...
The role the DSA-NY and Working Families Party played in the rise of Zohran Mamdani...
How the Mamdani field operation fundamentally changed the race...
Was the Free Palestine movement integral to the Mamdani ascent...
Inside the Mamdani digital program and why it caught fire...
A communication strategy the Mamdani campaign "unlocked"...
Technical aspects that made Mamdani video and ad content stand out...
What makes Zohran Mamdani an effective political communicator?
The paid-media strategy undergirding the campaign's rise...
How the Knicks playoff run impacted Mamdani media decisions...
Why the campaign invested in :15 second ads...
Parallels between Zohran Mamdani and Barack Obama...
How Morris views the attacks on Mamdani of anti-semitism and defunding the police...
The influential role played by mayoral candidate Brad Lander...
Unpacking the winning Mamdani coalition...
Morris' most surreal post-election moment...
What is most replicable for other campaigns from the Mamdani success?
AND AOC, Elle Bisgaard-Church, Eric Bogosian, Jamaal Bowman, Adam Carlson, Josh Charles, Andrew Cuomo, Bill de Blasio, Bob Dylan, Andrew Epstein, eyebrows, halal-flation, Hiroshima Mon Amour, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rebecca Katz, Brett Leonard, Willy Loman, manic energy, Tommy McDonald, Matt McLaughlin, Melted Solids, Arthur Miller, Julian Mulvey, the new brunch, Trey Nix, the politics of sighs, Antonio Reynoso, Katie Riley, Sam Rockwell, John Shanley, Erica Smith, Nydia Velazquez, Yul Vasquez, villains...& more!
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