Cameo launches hiring spree following banner year

Cameo, the app that lets fans pay for personalized videos from celebrities, has hired a slew of new C-suite executives from media and tech companies, with plans to continue rapidly growing its employee base.

Why it matters: The company, which last year brought in roughly $100 million in video transactions, benefitted enormously from the pandemic-driven lockdowns. In 2020, it sold 1.3 million Cameo videos and doubled its employee base to 200.

• Because of the pandemic, the company says that more than half of the company will have never worked in a Cameo office by the end of Q1 2021.

Details: In addition to several other executives from companies like Instagram and Reddit, Cameo is bringing on ...

• Rob Post, formerly of Quibi, as chief technology officer
• Deb Schwartz, formerly of Bustle Digital Group, as chief financial officer
• Brian Frank, formerly of LinkedIn, as chief operating officer
• Melanie Steinbach, formerly of McDonald's, as chief people officer

Between the lines: The company's growth last year was reflected not just in revenue, but also in the expansion of its community of creators.

• In 2020, Cameo added 10,000 new athletes, actors, comedians, musicians, artists, activists and personalities, who together produced more than 30,000 hours of Cameo content.
• By the end of the year, the company says that more than 150 Cameo personalities were earning at least $100,000 per year. 

The big picture: Nearly every major app geared towards content creators saw a significant boost in 2020, as more people were stuck at home and turned to social media creation to make money or find communities.

Go deeper:

• 2020's been a breakout year for creators
• Cameo CEO on the business of fame