Davy Rothbart
Crowdsource
Inside the Company That Provides Fake Paparazzi, Pretend Campaign Supporters, and Counterfeit Protesters
The California Sunday Magazine, 2017
What's inside?
Need to create “buzz” for your event, protest or rally? Now you can order a crowd from the comfort of your own home.
Recommendation
For politicians who lack an enthusiastic support base, the practice of hiring fake crowds is a powerful tool to create grassroots “buzz” for promoting a political message. It can generate media coverage and potentially broaden a candidate’s support base. But the benefits of creating buzz through fake crowds extend beyond the political realm. Best-selling author, filmmaker and radio show contributor Davy Rothbart signed up for a gig as a fake “selfie guy” with LA-based “crowds-for-hire” company Crowds on Demand to find out firsthand about this questionable line of business. getAbstract recommends Rothbart’s eye-opening observations to public relations and media professionals.
Summary
About the Author
Davy Rothbart is a journalist, Emmy Award–winning filmmaker and creator of the magazine Found.
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