← All case studies
County Mayor · 2020

Daniella Levine Cava for Miami-Dade County Mayor

Direct MailPersuasion DigitalDigital FundraisingOut-of-HomePollingBrandingWeb Design
RaceMiami-Dade County Mayor
Cycle2020 · Open seat
ScopeMail · Digital · OOH · Polling · Branding · Web
OutcomeWon the runoff by 10 points

A first for Miami-Dade.

In 2020, Daniella Levine Cava defied the odds and became the first woman mayor in Miami-Dade County's history.

Two former mayors — and a pandemic.

Daniella entered the race as the underdog, running against a former county mayor and a former City of Miami mayor.

The race became more complicated when the COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person campaigning.

A Mayor who cares.

MDW developed the message “a Mayor who cares” to highlight Daniella's persona as a compassionate, people-focused community leader with strong non-profit roots.

This message of compassion was a key element of the campaign's core issues: affordability, environmental protection, and COVID relief.

Through targeted direct mail and persuasion digital, informed by real-time data gathered through MDW's digital polling, our firm executed an aggressive campaign that helped the underdog become the front runner.

The campaign also went big — literally. MDW's out-of-home program put “a Mayor who cares” on billboards across Miami-Dade's busiest corridors, keeping Daniella's message in front of hundreds of thousands of commuters every day and reinforcing the mail and digital programs at county scale.

From the historic 2020 win to the 2024 re-elect

The Work

Branding · Direct mail · Out-of-home · Digital
Daniella Levine Cava campaign logo

“Our Miami-Dade County Mayor” — an identity warm enough for a first-time county-wide winner, and strong enough to carry a landslide re-election four years later.

Direct Mail · The 2020 upset

From “a Mayor who delivers” to the “Half Penny Penelas” and “MISSING” contrast pieces — the mail program that took an underdog through a crowded primary and a runoff win.

Mailer front: A Mayor who delivers results. Mailer back
Primary · Persuasion“A Mayor who delivers results.”
Mailer front: A Mayor who will empower. Mailer back
Primary · Empowerment“A Mayor who will empower.”
Mailer front: MISSING: the Metro Rail expansion Mailer back
Primary · Contrast“MISSING: the Metro Rail expansion”
Mailer front: Half Penny Penelas Mailer back
Primary · Contrast“Half Penny Penelas”
Mailer front: A house of lies Mailer back
Primary · Contrast“A house of lies”
Mailer front: Bold. Transparent. Accountable. Mailer back
Runoff · Persuasion“Bold. Transparent. Accountable.”
Mailer front: How does Miami-Dade spell corruption? Mailer back
Runoff · Contrast“How does Miami-Dade spell corruption?”
Mailer front: Audaz. Transparente. Responsable. Mailer back
Runoff · Spanish“Audaz. Transparente. Responsable.”
Mailer front: Liderazgo. Transparencia. Responsabilidad. Mailer back
Runoff · Spanish“Liderazgo. Transparencia. Responsabilidad.”
Mailer front: Herald-recommended. Mailer back
Runoff · EndorsementHerald-recommended.
Mailer front: A sweet new year. Mailer back
CommunityA sweet new year.

Direct Mail · The 2024 re-elect

A bilingual persuasion and GOTV program built on Daniella’s record — tax cuts, public safety, and community. Every piece is two-sided; click any mailer to flip it over.

Mailer front: cutting tax rates, lowering costs, with Local 10 and CBS Miami headlines Mailer back on the first property tax cut in over a decade
Persuasion · Record“Cutting tax rates. Lowering costs for us!”
Mailer front: photo collage — uniting our community, leading with compassion, delivering with action Mailer back with vote-by-mail and early voting dates
Persuasion · Collage“Uniting our community.”
Mailer front: CBS Miami headline on the 1% property tax cut and gas tax holiday Mailer back: bipartisan support from over 140 local leaders
Persuasion · Economy“Cutting tax rates. Growing our economy.”
Mailer front: resident and retired police officer testimonials for Mayor Daniella Mailer back with community photos
Coalition“Our trusted partner.”
Spanish-language mailer: police and firefighters trust Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to keep us safe Spanish-language mailer back with PBA endorsement quote
Spanish · Public safety“Nos mantendrá seguros.”
GOTV mailer front: sample ballot showing Our Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava GOTV mailer back: trusted by Miami-Dade Republicans
GOTV · Ballot“On August 20th…”

Out-of-Home

Billboards across Miami-Dade’s busiest corridors kept “Leading with Compassion. Delivering with Action.” in front of hundreds of thousands of commuters every day.

Daniella Levine Cava billboard: housing affordability, economic opportunity, transit investments Daniella Levine Cava billboard with Daniella.vote Daniella Levine Cava billboard: Election Day August 20, 2024

Digital

Social-first persuasion and a vote-by-mail chase program that carried the same record — and the same look — onto every screen in the county.

Daniella Levine Cava digital ad Daniella Levine Cava digital ad Daniella Levine Cava digital ad Vote-by-mail digital ad for Daniella Levine Cava Vote-by-mail digital ad for Daniella Levine Cava Vote-by-mail digital ad for Daniella Levine Cava
The win
10pts

Miami-Dade’s first woman mayor — a decisive 10-point win on election night.

After defying the odds by making it into a runoff election, Daniella won with a decisive 10pt victory on election night. She was re-elected in 2024, becoming the first incumbent county mayor to avoid a runoff election in decades.