New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, fresh from presenting the NBA Championship-winning Knicks with keys to the city, has introduced a new visual identity for his administration: a custom version of the typeface Empirica. The keys themselves featured the new font, marking the public debut of the bespoke typography.
The modified Empirica was created by the type foundry Frere-Jones Type, founded by Tobias Frere-Jones, who co-designed the iconic political typeface Gotham with Jonathan Hoefler. The foundry adapted Mamdani's campaign typeface—Empirica—for a new era of progressive leadership, according to Fast Company. The original Empirica was released in 2018 and designed by Frere-Jones and Nina Stössinger, with contributions from Fred Shallcrass and Devyani Mahadevan.
Empirica draws inspiration from Ancient Roman inscription forms and 19th-century French interpretations of those styles. For Mamdani's office, Frere-Jones recommended a modified version to better suit public-facing communication, incorporating modifications to individual characters to bring in what a type designer described as "some of that painterly spirit."
The choice of a custom font follows a tradition of political typography, from Obama's use of Gotham to other administrations' bespoke typefaces. It signals intentionality in brand-building and an attention to design that can communicate values without words. For Mayor Mamdani, the serif Empirica may project a sense of gravitas and historical continuity, even as its modifications hint at a fresh approach.
While a font alone cannot govern, the investment in a custom typeface underscores Mamdani's focus on the aesthetics of public communication. Observers may question whether such design flourishes are a priority for a city government facing more pressing challenges like housing and transit, but for the mayor's team, it is a subtle yet deliberate statement of intent.