We all have our idols, celebrities we grew up watching on the big screen. For me growing up it was Keanu Reeves. In the past the only way you’d have a chance to interact with one of these celebrities is maybe by attending one of those exclusive events, or if you’re lucky maybe you’ll see them on the street. But even then it won’t be guaranteed you’ll be able to interact with them. The cameo app aims to change this.
The Cameo app gives fans the opportunity to receive a personalized shout out or direct message from their favourite celebrities for a fee. Most prices range from $5 to $2,500, or higher according to demand.
At this point you may be wondering how the Cameo app works, how to livestream with the Cameo app and just how many celebrities are on it. In this article I’ll be sharing with you what I’ve learnt from using the cameo app for a few days now.
History of Cameo App
According to Wikipedia, Cameo is an American video-sharing website headquartered in Chicago.
It was created in 2016 by
- Steven Galanis
- Martin Blencowe
- Devon Spinnler Townsend
Since then more than 30,000 celebrities have joined the Cameo platform, with each having at least 20,000 followers.
The creators Steven and Martin came up with the idea for Cameo after leaving Steven’s grandmother’s burial. Martin’s job at the time included being a film producer and NFL agent. This allowed him in April 2016 to get NFL player Cassius Marsh to record himself congratulating his friend on the birth of his son. It was during this period that the duo realized that “the selfie was the new autograph”. Fast forward to March 15, 2017 and the site was launched with Martin introducing his fans to the site with a tweet.
The site grew during the coronavirus pandemic as it accommodated social distancing restrictions. In July 2020 the site launched Promotional Cameos, a premium priced service for businesses to buy celebrity endorsements.
How to Use Cameo App
Now we have covered how cameo started, let’s focus on how to live stream with Cameo. When first signing up for the service you have the option to sign up using a Facebook profile, an email or through a VIP invite. After filling in the typical user information you’re set to go. At the bottom of your screen you’ll see you have 5 options on what you can do.
You can search for celebrities, watch cameos made by different celebrities, visit your messages if you have initiated any conversation with a celebrity, monitor past activity on your account and finally edit your profile.
The first option (a microscope icon) allows you to search for a particular celebrity by name or by going through Cameo’s catalogue of celebrities. Their current catalogue includes athletes, musicians, actors, even some past political figures. I tried searching for Keanu Reeves but at the moment he isn’t on the Cameo platform. A quick search for Joseph Morgan however was successful. When you find a particular celebrity you like, their profile shows you a bunch of information
While on their profile you can either request a video message or a direct message. On some profiles you get both options, while on others you only get one. Still on their profile, you’ll see information like their average response time to requests. This can vary from a few hours to 7 days. There’re also reviews available to help you decide if this celebrity is right for you.
If you decide to go for a video message, you’ll be asked to specify if it’s for you or someone else as a gift. After this you’ll be asked some basic information needed to personalize the message. With all information required filled out you can then proceed to pay for your video message (also called Cameo). Your receipt and order updates will be sent to the email provided under delivery information. When your request is completed, you’ll be emailed and texted a link to view, share or download your Cameo. Also if for some reason your video isn’t completed, the hold on your card will be removed within 5-7 business days.
On the other hand, you choose to go for a direct message. However there is no guarantee that you’ll get a reply, so I doubt many people will go for this option.
You also have the option to join their fan club. Membership is free with members having their Cameo video requests prioritized, so you can expect your response time to be shorter than what is displayed on the celebrity’s profile. You also have access to their previous Cameos and you get alerts each time there is a price drop or deal available. So it’s recommended you join.
Just How Many Celebrities are there on Cameo App?
There are currently more than 30,000 celebrities on the platform with that number expected to grow. There are celebrities under different categories.
Categories include
- Comedians
- Actors
- Musicians
- Animals
- and more
Under the category of Comedy you have stars like Chris Tucker, Bob Saget. There are a lot of musicians as well like R&B Legend Akon, singer Lily Allen. Actors are also on the platform, actors like Melora Hardin from The Office, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Fran Drescher, Gina Torres from the popular show Suits. Political commentators are also on the platform. The likes of Fox News Host, Tomi Lahren and even former Mexico President, Vicente Fox.
The world of athletics wasn’t left out. Some athletes on the platform include NBA Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, WNBA Lisa Leslie and World Champion Boxer Floyd Mayweather. The animal kingdom wasn’t forgotten with Doug The Pug, the celebrity dog making the list.
At the end of the day you’re bound to see a celebrity either you, a friend or family member identifies with.
How expensive is Cameo
The first time I heard about the Cameo app, I wanted to know “Is cameo free?” As you may have guessed by now it’s very far from being free. You don’t have to pay to sign up on the app but there are a number of in-app purchases that make up for this. I guess it should be expected, considering the number of fans these celebrities have, having to reply to each of them would take significant effort.
Some celebrities use the proceeds for their cameos to fund charities so there is extra value there. However things can get quite expensive for some. We’re talking about $999 for a cameo from celebrities like Floyd Mayweather, Criss Angel.
From my initial search the most expensive celebrity on cameo at the moment is the rapper Snopp Dogg.
He charges a whopping $1200 for a cameo. Of course these are the pricier options, there are other celebrities that charge significantly lower.
I’m talking about celebrities such as actress Carla Jeffery, you may remember her from the Disney movie Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2 or Boxer Brawln Barnes who charges $7 for a video cameo. Depending on your financial status or preference you may find cameo to be an awesome app or a total waste of money.
Pros and Cons of Cameo App
In my opinion there isn’t a platform that offers the same services that cameo does, it is intriguing to say the least. Receiving a personalized shout out from your favourite celebrity as a gift is bound to impress almost anyone. Many people have chosen to use cameo for that purpose, you can very well decide to have a cameo made just for yourself.
However it can be pricey for some, it’s just something you can’t ignore. If you end up going for a cameo you’re going to love it. With the number of celebrities on the platform, finding one you are a fan of is very likely.
I hope this article has helped explain things a little better, we surely didn’t cover all angles when it comes to cameo so there are still lots for you to discover. I hope you enjoy your experience.