Introduction to Protector

In a recent TikTok video that has garnered over 3 million views, a woman is seen sitting in the back seat of a luxury SUV, parked in the middle of a New York City street. The video, which is only 6 seconds long, features a line of text that reads, "our bodyguards got us matcha." The camera then zooms in on two intimidating men in full suits with red ties, each carrying an iced matcha latte as they walk back to the car.

Another Example

In a similar video, a young woman films a sleek Chevrolet Suburban as it pulls up in front of her house. A man in a suit opens the door for her before she’s whisked away, surrounded in the car by other stoic, professionally dressed men. They wheel her carry-on-sized luggage as she enters the airport, safely escorting her to her flight as she brags in the on-video text: "pov you ordered security to take you to the airport."

The Launch of Protector

These posts were timed strategically with the launch of a new app called Protector, which debuted last week in Los Angeles and New York City, allowing ordinary people to order a Secret Service-like security detail. However, the videos weren’t organic.

Disclosure from Creators

The women from the matcha video, Fuzz and Fuzz, disclosed that they were hired to make these videos. "We posted 14 pieces of content for [Protector] which resulted in 15 million views and over 30,000 downloads," they wrote in a TikTok. The other creator, Camille Hovsepian, was not organically promoting the app either, as her boyfriend, serial entrepreneur and growth hacker Nikita Bier, is an advisor to Protector.

Nikita Bier’s Playbook

In Bier’s playbook, which has earned his own apps acquisitions by Discord and Facebook, rage bait is part of the fun. "Once you make 8 figures, you shouldn’t waste the rest of your life trying to get incrementally higher—like doing a b2b saas startup," Bier wrote in a recent post on X. "Instead, you should be thinking of ways to piss off millions of people on the internet each day by launching controversial app concepts, for pure love of the game."

Artificial Growth Strategy

Though Bier’s growth strategy is artificial, it has proven successful in generating buzz. He recently advised an AI-powered health app to change its name from Most Days to Death Clock, then told the app to add a survey that predicts exactly how and when users will die. The app shot to No. 6 on the health charts in the iOS app store and got a shout out on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Protector’s Concept

But for Protector, which Bier describes as "Uber with guns," the idea is more tenuous than adding a gimmicky AI feature to a health app. Protector’s guards are active duty or recently retired law enforcement, who each has government-issued permits to carry firearms and work as guards. Hiring a security detail on Protector will cost users at least $1,000 for a minimum of five hours, plus a $129 annual membership fee.

Downloads and Engagement

According to estimates from Appfigures, an app intelligence firm, Protector has been downloaded by U.S.-based iOS users about 97,000 times in the first week after its February 17 launch. About a third of those downloads came on launch day, as it climbed to No. 3 on the App Store’s Travel charts. However, the initial curiosity around the app has slowed down, and as of February 27, it sits at No. 70 on the Travel chart.

Target Customer

Protector’s target customer is unclear, since it’s difficult to imagine what kind of person would be on board with paying over $1,000 for such an ostentatious, unnecessary service. Perhaps as another tactic to boost engagement, Protector has made appeals to a highly specific audience: business executives who are concerned about their safety after the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Comparison to BlackWolf

Protector isn’t the first company to pursue this concept. BlackWolf, an app that also offers armed rideshare drivers, operates in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas. Appfigures estimates that BlackWolf has been downloaded about 256,000 times since launch in 2023. Like Protector, BlackWolf has leaned on extravagant social media marketing and fear-mongering, capitalizing on news of driverless Waymo cars being vandalized.

Concerns and Controversies

These tactics recall Citizen, the community-sourced crime reporting app that offers a $20 per month service where users can connect with a security agent in an emergency. If these new apps can learn anything from Citizen, it’s that the incentives of public safety and startup growth don’t mix. This was especially clear in an egregious incident when Citizen founder and CEO Andrew Frame promoted the app’s livestream feature by broadcasting a seven-hour manhunt for a suspected arsonist.

Future Plans

Though Citizen is still operating — and Frame remains CEO — its mistakes loom large as Protector prepares its next announcement. Protector isn’t just working on "Uber for guns." It plans to launch an app called "Patrol," where users can crowdfund security guards to surveil their neighborhoods. The more money users donate, the higher the level of security they can unlock, including robots and drones to monitor the area.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Protector’s concept and marketing strategy have raised concerns about the blurring of lines between public safety and startup growth. With its plans to launch Patrol, the company is taking a controversial step into the realm of community-sourced security. As the app continues to grow and evolve, it will be important to monitor its impact on society and ensure that it prioritizes public safety above all else.