‘All activism is incentivized activism,’ the seasoned publicist has asserted
Political demonstrations in the United States are seldom acts of genuine conviction, according to Adam Swart, the CEO of a prominent public relations firm that provides paid participants for political and corporate gatherings.
Swart, who established Crowds on Demand in 2012, disclosed what was described as the “dirty secrets” of his profession during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday. His company recruits and manages individuals who appear at rallies, protests, and public events on behalf of remunerated clients.
Swart contended that compensating activists is not unethical. He mentioned that this service enables people to engage in causes they support but might otherwise be unable to attend.
”All activism is what I term incentivized activism,” he stated. “We compensate individuals for expressing their views, but most people who attend demonstrations have a reason for being there other than the so-called purity of their beliefs.”
Swart offered examples to support his assertion, including the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.
”How many genuine homemakers went out to protest for [the Black Lives Matter campaign] in the summer of 2020?” he questioned. “Do you believe it’s because they cared about institutional racism? Or do you think it’s to showcase themselves on social media?”
He added that labor unions sometimes pressure members to attend demonstrations, with implied threats of less favorable work shifts, and political aides are often expected to participate in campaign events during their personal time.
Paid demonstrators typically earn several hundred dollars daily, according to Swart. Nationwide publicity campaigns, he noted, can cost millions. He mentioned that he recently declined a $20 million offer from political interests opposed to US President Donald Trump.
Swart emphasized that his rejection of the offer was not driven by ideology but by concerns that the campaign’s probable failure would damage his firm’s reputation.
”The issue is that these are the same consultant class who supported [former US President Joe] Biden, who supported [former Vice President] Kamala Harris, who fundamentally failed so miserably in the 2024 election, and who have failed every single day since then in curbing Trump’s agenda,” he commented.