Cameo, the startup that has built a fast-growing business selling video shout-outs from celebrities (and others), is extending into a new line of fandom business.
In its first acquisition, Cameo bought L.A.-based Represent, a marketing and merchandising platform that develops and operates direct-to-fan ecommerce sites for celeb clients including Jennifer Lopez, Ed Sheeran, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Kendall Jenner and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Cameo said the addition of Represent will expand and diversify its existing talent pool and establish a new revenue opportunities for talent on Cameo. At some point, Cameo expects to launch “gift bundles” that would include both a personalized Cameo video and celebrity merch.
Earlier this year, Cameo raised $100 million from investors including Amazon, Google and UTA, giving the company a valuation of just over $1 billion. Cameo’s talent roster now numbers more than 40,000 actors, online personalities, comedians, musicians and athletes and has sold more than 3 million personalized Cameo video shout-outs to date. Cameo, founded in 2017, takes a 25% cut of sales.
Since launching in 2014, Represent has shipped more than 4 million products to customers worldwide and created over $170 million in “brand value” for talent and partners, according to the privately held company. In addition, Represent says it has facilitated more than $300 million in charitable contributions through its platform.
Joining Cameo are Represent COO Dan Rosenberg, who will become president of Represent and continue leading day-to-day operations, and CMO Bobby Maylack, who has been named chief creative officer at Cameo. The Represent acquisition will double Cameo’s European headcount.
“We’re extremely excited to welcome Dan, Bobby and the Represent team to the Cameo Fameo,” Cameo co-founder and CEO Steven Galanis said in a statement. “The new capabilities greatly expand Cameo’s value proposition to fans and talent alike.”
Maylack commented, “We built our platform for the top talent and changemakers in the world to engage with their fans. Although we started with apparel, the goal has always been to figure out new and creative ways for fans to feel more connected.”
In the near term, Cameo said, Represent will continue to operate as it does today. The company expects to begin integrating Represent’s merch capabilities into Cameo’s services in 2022, at which point merch will become a native part of the Cameo experience.
As part of the acquisition, Cameo will continue working with Represent’s former parent company, CustomInk, to handle production, fulfillment and logistics. Custom Ink acquired Represent in 2016. The three founders of Represent — Bryan Baum, Andrej Pancik and Leo Seigal, who originally met as students at Oxford University — left the company in 2016.
Pictured above: Arnold Schwarzenegger, wearing a T-shirt ($29.99) available on his Represent-powered online store
