Get Swart: What Paid Protests Reveal About PR, Politics, and Power

The 42nd episode of Bald Ambition doesn't provide the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything, but does highlight the hypocrisy baked into influencer marketing, media, and public relations. 

Mookie Spitz sits down with Adam Swart, the outspoken founder and CEO of Crowds On Demand. Known for his provocative media appearances and unapologetic takes on modern influence, Swart pulls back the curtain on how public opinion is shaped—not just in boardrooms and newsrooms, but on the streets, in protests, and across every channel where people consume information. Their conversation digs into the mechanics of paid demonstrations, the blurred line between grassroots activism and corporate-backed spectacle, and the fierce reactions Swart provokes from pundits across the political spectrum.

As Swart points out, nearly every article, broadcast, or viral campaign is a form of marketing, yet staged protests are singled out for outrage. From his perspective, there’s little difference between a PR firm planting stories in the New York Times, a network pundit being paid millions to deliver their “independent” take, or an influencer cashing a brand check to post on TikTok. What Crowds On Demand does is simply make that process visible. 

Swart also argues that, by compensating participants—often housekeepers, retail workers, and others who wouldn’t otherwise have the time or flexibility to attend—he is actually democratizing protest. Instead of activism being limited to the wealthy or the privileged with free time, his model allows working-class voices to be represented in the public square. By being explicit about the transactional nature of influence, Swart forces critics to confront the double standard: we accept being sold to everywhere else, but recoil when the same mechanics are applied to public demonstrations.

About Adam Swart
Adam Swart is a political strategist, entrepreneur, and commentator whose work has landed him on Fox News, Newsmax, NewsNation, and even across the table from Chris Cuomo. Since founding Crowds On Demand in 2012, Swart has been at the center of high-stakes campaigns that range from corporate disputes to advocacy movements and headline-grabbing political demonstrations. He’s drawn fire as a so-called “villain of influence,” but he embraces transparency and argues that his work democratizes public expression by opening participation to people who otherwise wouldn’t have a voice.

About Crowds On Demand
Crowds On Demand is a Los Angeles–based publicity and advocacy firm that specializes in organizing live demonstrations, protests, rallies, and influencer-driven events to shape public perception and force issues into the spotlight. The company has executed campaigns across politics, corporate conflicts, and social causes—sometimes tipping the scales of debate when traditional PR avenues fall flat. In this episode, Swart breaks down examples ranging from the “Delete Facebook” campaign to local power-plant battles, showing how his team builds organizations, recruits participants, and sustains visibility until decision-makers are forced to respond.

Adam challenges listeners to reconsider how influence works in 2025, and whether the outrage over “manufactured” protests says more about the messenger than the message. The next time you see or participate in a protest, on either side of the political aisle, consider who organized it—and who paid for it.

How to Contact Adam

https://crowdsondemand.com/contact-us

https://x.com/ceoadamswart