Richard Rosenblatt, the co-founder of Demand Media and current chief executive of Whip Media Group, joined Cameo’s board of directors on Tuesday, people familiar with the company told TheWrap. The media startup adds Rosenblatt to its board as it looks to continue growing its platform, which allows fans to pay for personalized videos from their favorite celebrities and influencers.
A longtime entrepreneur in the Los Angeles startup world, Rosenblatt brings decades of experience spanning both the technology and media landscape to Cameo. Perhaps most famously, Rosenblatt was the head of Intermix Media when it was sold, along with properties like Myspace.com, to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation for $580 million in 2005.
“Cameo provides a completely new way for fans to interact with their favorite artists, celebrities, politicians, and public figures, while also providing a way for talent to diversify their revenue,” Rosenblatt said. “I have always been drawn to companies that reinvent the way consumers engage with content through powerful platforms, and I look forward to working with the board to support Cameo’s further growth worldwide.”
Rosenblatt also sits on the board of Imagine Entertainment, the production company founded by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, and recently joined the board of DraftKings, the sports gambling and daily fantasy website.
“Richard has an incredible track record of leadership in creating and bringing disruptive consumer platforms to market for both early and later stage media and technology companies, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the board,” Cameo Co-Founder and CEO Steven Galanis said. “His knowledge, expertise and relationships will be a valuable asset to our board and management team as we propel our business forward.”
Founded in 2016, Cameo connects fans with 40,000 celebrities, spanning actors, athletes, musicians, and reality stars. The company’s homepage highlights an eclectic mix of celebrities fans can receive greetings from, including “Dancing With the Stars” host Tom Bergeron, former NFL great Brett Favre, and actress Fran Drescher, among other celebrities.
To date, Cameo has raised about $65 million from investors, including Kleiner Perkins and Lightspeed.