Baron App Inc., doing business as Cameo, is an American

video-sharing An online video platform (OVP), provided by a video hosting service, enables users to upload, convert, store and play back video content on the Internet, often via a structured, large-scale system that may generate revenue. Users will generally u ...

website headquartered in

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. Created in 2016 by Steven Galanis, Martin Blencowe, and Devon Spinnler Townsend, the site allows celebrities to send personalized video messages to fans. , more than 30,000 celebrities have joined the platform.

Overview

Steven Galanis and Martin Blencowe had the idea to create Cameo after leaving Galanis's grandmother's funeral. Blencowe's work included being a

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

and NFL agent. In April 2016, Blencowe got NFL player

Cassius Marsh Cassius Lee Marsh Sr. (born July 7, 1992) is an American football outside linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA. He has also playe ...

to record himself congratulating his friend on the birth of his son. The duo realized that "the selfie was the new autograph". Marsh tweeted a photo introducing his fans to the site and it was launched on March 15, 2017. Since then, celebrities with more than 20,000

Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...

followers are eligible to set up an account with Cameo. Cameo has been named #19 of America's Best Startup Employers by ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...

'' and #17 by

LinkedIn LinkedIn () is an American business and employment-oriented online service that operates via websites and mobile apps. Launched on May 5, 2003, the platform is primarily used for professional networking and career development, and allows job se ...

. The site grew during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

as it accommodates social distance restrictions. In July 2020 the site launched Promotional Cameos, a premium priced service for businesses to buy celebrity endorsements.

Reception

'' Chicago Magazine'' called Cameo "The Most American Startup Ever". In 2020, Cameo topped '' Fast Company''s list of the "World's Most Innovative Social Media Companies" and was listed as one of the "World's 50 Most Innovative Companies". In 2019, Cameo received the Momentum Award given annually by

1871 Events January–March * January 3 – Franco-Prussian War – Battle of Bapaume: Prussians win a strategic victory. * January 18 – Proclamation of the German Empire: The member states of the North German Confederation and the sout ...

and the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center. Cameo was named one of the "50 Most Genius Companies" by ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'' magazine in 2018. Galanis was named one of "Hollywood's Top Innovators" by ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

''. Co-founder Townsend was included in a " ''Forbes'' 30 Under 30" list.

References

External links

* {{official, https://cameo.com American entertainment websites Celebrity Video hosting Internet properties established in 2017

Overview

Reception

See also

References

External links