What are some notable clients or projects of Crowds on Demand?
Executive summary
Crowds on Demand bills itself as a publicity and advocacy firm that supplies hired participants for demonstrations, PR stunts and corporate events and says it has run campaigns ranging from airport greeters to advocacy rallies [1] [2]. Independent reporting and public records link the company to a handful of traceable projects — from startup product launches and trade‑show stunts to disputed political and hoax campaigns — while noting the company usually keeps clients confidential [2] [3] [4] [5].
1. Corporate and product‑launch work: airport greeters, conference hype, vodka launches
The company’s own case studies list commercial projects as some of its clearest, named examples: a mid‑sized software security firm that hired Crowds on Demand to greet attendees at San Francisco International Airport and hold banners outside a technology conference, a start‑up that used performers to build buzz at Advertising Week in New York, and a vodka brand that booked the firm to create nightlife buzz so it could break into on‑premise sales [2]. Crunchbase and the firm’s homepage reiterate that corporate PR stunts, brand ambassadors and paparazzi services are a staple of their business model, and that these services are offered in major U.S. cities and beyond [6] [1]. These examples are presented by the firm as routine marketing work rather than political operations [2].
2. Advocacy campaigns, lobbying and “guerilla lobbying” for hire
Crowds on Demand markets itself as “the ultimate guerilla lobbying and government relations firm,” promoting services to influence local approvals, legislation and litigation by coordinating on‑the‑ground protests and phone‑banking [1] [7]. Founder Adam Swart has described a strategic shift toward advocacy and activism projects — including local zoning fights, law enforcement and environmental campaigns — and the firm claims to have worked for state officials and presidential campaigns, though Swart declined to identify many clients publicly [3] [4]. Public records identify at least one early paid campaign for the Six Californias ballot effort, but the company’s broader client list remains largely undisclosed [4].
3. High‑profile controversies: hoaxes, political operatives and disputed clients
Independent reporting and the company’s opaque client policy have combined to produce notable controversies: Wikipedia and media reporting documented that a fake local activist group called Dallas Justice Now — which sent provocative letters in 2021 — was later tied to operations that involved the same marketing firm and were revealed to be a Crowds on Demand project in 2024; a pro‑police group called Keep Dallas Safe was similarly linked through shared vendors and later attribution [4]. Media outlets and watchdogs have also suggested the firm has been implicated in staged or astroturf activities, including press reports that Anthony Weiner allegedly used hired attendees at a 2013 mayoral run, though some of those claims are reported as media allegations rather than firm admissions [4].
4. International and sensitive work: foreign governments and content restrictions
Crowds on Demand’s site claims it has coordinated international work, including organizing positive receptions for a foreign leader during the UN General Assembly, illustrating that clients have at times included non‑U.S. entities [7]. InfluenceWatch notes the firm says it generally does not reveal clients and in 2024 publicly noted it had turned down over 100 requests related to protests over the Israel‑Hamas conflict, highlighting both a policy stance and the sensitivity of certain issue areas [5]. The firm’s CEO has said some requests are refused if judged “not constructive,” signaling selective acceptance of politically charged work [5].
5. What can be verified — and what remains private
A clear takeaway from corporate materials, trade profiles and independent reporting is that concrete, named corporate projects (airport greeters, trade‑show activations, nightlife promotions) are the firm’s most openly documented work, while its political and advocacy roster is intentionally opaque and only occasionally revealed through investigative reporting or public records [2] [6] [4] [5]. When clients or campaigns surface in the press they often produce debate over astroturfing and ethical lines between paid promotion and authentic grassroots action, an explicit criticism noted by academics and commentators [4].