Celebrity Shoutout App Cameo Lays Off 87 People

(Bloomberg) -- Cameo, the app that allows fans to pay celebrities for birthday greetings and other shoutouts, said on Wednesday that it laid off nearly 90 people.

“We had to let go of 87 beloved members of the Cameo Fameo,” Chief Executive Officer Steven Galanis said in a LinkedIn post. “I’m heartbroken to see so many friends and trusted colleagues depart this week.”

In a statement, Galanis said that during the pandemic Cameo’s “headcount exploded from just over 100 to nearly 400.” Since then, “market conditions have rapidly changed,” he said, “Accordingly, we have right-sized the business to best reflect the new realities.”

On Tuesday, Cameo announced a partnership with Snap Inc., building on its Cameo for Business program, which allows brands to book an advertisement from a celebrity on its platform. Earlier this year, Cameo said the business offering—where companies pay an average of $2,000 to $3,000 for a quick video ad—was its fastest-growing unit.

The layoffs were first reported by the tech news site the Information.

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