Crowds on Demand
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Marketing, Public relations |
| Founded | October 2012 |
| Founder | Adam Swart |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York City, Washington, D.C., Iowa, New Hampshire |
| Products | Simulated fans, paparazzi, security personnel, paid and unpaid demonstrators |
Crowds on Demand is a U.S.-based marketing agency that supplies clients with actors to simulate fans, paparazzi, security personnel, as well as both paid and unpaid demonstrators. The company serves key American cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York City, Washington, D.C., Iowa, and New Hampshire. Established in October 2012 by entrepreneur Adam Swart, Crowds on Demand employs an innovative approach to cater to customers within the entertainment, political, and public relations industries.
History
Adam Swart, formerly a journalist at AOL Patch, is the founder of Crowds on Demand. The business started by offering "celebrity experience" packages including staged fans and faux paparazzi primarily in Los Angeles. Over time, its offerings expanded to encompass orchestrated protests, political rallies, and publicity events featuring hired actors portraying members of the public.
The company attracted media spotlight following a Good Morning America feature where a reporter impersonated the King of Liechtenstein accompanied by a paid entourage. Prior to the 2012 elections, Swart mentioned the possibility of creating fabricated political demonstrations for candidates. Although reports surfaced alleging that Anthony Weiner engaged Crowds on Demand actors during his 2013 New York City mayoral bid, Weiner denied these claims.
Criticism
Crowds on Demand has been criticized for marketing manufactured popularity and fame. Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, an associate professor at USC, condemned the firm for misleading audiences. A columnist from The Washington Post drew attention to its "Celebrity Arrival Service," which provides compensated supporters to politicians aiming to project influence.
This practice is frequently labeled as astroturfing. Dan Schneider of The Atlantic observed that paying for backing resembles astroturfing rather than authentic grassroots support, noting that Swart maintains client confidentiality to prevent potential reputational damage.
In 2016, NBC Los Angeles reported on a scripted paid protest opposing a development project in Camarillo, California. Swart acknowledged collaborating with various campaigns but publicly confirmed involvement only with the Six Californias initiative.
In 2018, Entergy faced criticism after employing actors contracted through Crowds on Demand to endorse a contentious natural gas power plant in New Orleans while opposing renewable energy alternatives. Additionally, the company was featured in an episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver discussing astroturfing practices.
In October 2018, businessman Zdeněk Bakala initiated a federal lawsuit accusing Crowds on Demand of attempted extortion involving demands for millions of dollars.
See also
- Rental family, a service offering actors to portray relatives, friends, or colleagues primarily in Japan
- Extra (acting)
External links
- Pandatechie (13 March 2021) "How To Rent-A-Crowd In India"