DREAM FOR NYC
We beat Andrew Cuomo twice.
(and his billionaire buddies too)
32 Million
IMPRESSIONS
54%
NEW YORK VOTERS WHO LEFT CUOMO OFF THEIR BALLOTS
75,000+
NEW YORKERS VOTED USING THE DREAM BALLOT
(most used non-Cuomo ballot)
1
ZOHRAN MAMDANI ELECTED MAYOR
The Story
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace in 2021 amidst allegations and accusations — only to re-emerge in 2025 as a New York City mayoral candidate in the Democratic primary.
Cuomo entered the race as the presumptive frontrunner seemingly overnight, promising status quo centrism, shoring up funds from billionaires and special interests, and leveraging his clout and connections to lock down essentially every major endorsement. For the progressive left to have a chance, Cuomo needed to be exposed for his scandal-ridden, billionaire-backed politics — and stopped at the ballot box.
The Challenge
In 2021, the New York mayoral election was marked by confusion around ranked choice voting, compounded by a crowded field of candidates fighting each other instead of strategizing together. The result: Eric Adams.
To prevent a repeat, the DREAM campaign had to relay two messages at once: First, an educational refresher on ranked choice voting, and second, a blistering takedown of Andrew Cuomo’s so-called “accomplishments” as Governor, designed to deflate the air of inevitability surrounding his mayoral run.
How We Won
The campaign was built around a simple, sticky idea: turn “don’t rank Cuomo” into New York common sense. DREAM functioned as an acronym with clear ranked-choice voting instructions that were directive without being wonky. But it also felt innately tied to the city’s routines, language, and attitude: get your coffee, take the subway, and don’t rank Cuomo.
Our design ecosystem pulled inspiration from the city storefronts and hyperlocal iconography that all New Yorkers know — including bodega signage, to-go coffee cups, MTA symbols. Nodding to these graphic elements created a campaign that stood out while unmistakably fitting in, showing that the DREAM campaign was by and for real New Yorkers.
CAMPAIGN IDENTITY
The campaign was built around a simple, sticky idea: turn “don’t rank Cuomo” into New York common sense. DREAM functioned as an acronym with clear ranked-choice voting instructions that were directive without being wonky. But it also felt innately tied to the city’s routines, language, and attitude: get your coffee, take the subway, and don’t rank Cuomo.
“We made hating Cuomo into a citywide phenomenon, and harnessed the renewable energy that is New York’s desire to hate some asshole.”
CAMPAIGN ROLLOUT
DREAM launched as a guerilla operation that spread fast and wide. Messaging showed up across press, social feeds, and the street simultaneously, creating the sense that the campaign was already part of the city’s fabric.
The goal was saturation — not just awareness, but recognition — so wherever you went, the message followed. In fact, our stickering, postering, and street art was so ubiquitous, independent artists started making their own.
A not-even-close-to-exhaustive sampling of DREAM digital content
INFLUENCER PARTNERSHIPS
Our influencer strategy deliberately broke out of the political bubble by partnering with creators across fashion, comedy, and art, including Cassie Willson, Gianmarco Soresi, Morgan Spector, and Sports Illustrated super model Sixtine Rouyre.
Organic collaborations in a variety of formats turned hating on Cuomo into a direct, shareable message. Creators were invited to interpret the idea in their own voice, fueling authenticity and virality.
CULTURE CAPTURE
Merch wasn’t just a side hustle; it was core to creating a cultural shift. Stickers, hats, and tees became visual shorthand for the message. When designs were bootlegged and sold at the Mermaid Parade and on the Lower East Side, it confirmed the campaign had escaped politics and entered culture — arguably the clearest signal of success in NYC.
$50,000+
DREAM MERCH SOLD
200+
KEY MEDIA PLACEMENTS
(TV, RADIO, PUBLICATIONS)
10,000+
SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS
(INSTAGRAM, X, BLUESKY)
The Win
The 2025 Democratic primary for mayor was the largest in NYC’s history, almost reaching the same turnout as 2021’s general mayoral election. The DREAM campaign undoubtedly helped shape its outcome: 54% of voters left Andrew Cuomo off their ballots, 75k+ voters followed our exact ranked-choice ballot, and Zohran Mamdani shocked the establishment with his victory.
For the November general election, we continued to hate on Cuomo, producing the most viral non-Zohran content of the race and laying the groundwork for Tax the Rich to investigate Cuomo’s donor network.
Final Round: Democratic Primary
Zohran Mamdani
573,169
56.39%
(54% Didn't Rank Cuomo)
Andrew Cuomo
433,229
43.61%
...and a few more of DREAM's greatest hits:
