The exchange of shout outs: Introducing Cameo
The internet has changed a lot since the early days of MySpace or even Facebook. Over the years, it has become so much easier and all the more accessible for fans to stay connected with their favorite celebrities. But more so now than ever - introducing Cameo.
Cameo is the widely famous website where users can pay to have any of the chosen talent give a custom shout out to either the user or someone the user knows. The talent on the website includes everyone from actors, to musical artists, athletes, viral influencers, showbiz personalities and more.
In order to get a shout out from these celebrities and well known names, users must pay to have their custom message spoken. The prices of talent can range from $5, all the way to $2,500 for someone such as Caitlyn Jenner! (Landrum, 2019)
James Hennessey of Pedestrian wrote on how the celebrities of the app are not as good as promised. He writes, "Cameo made a spectacularly large promise: you can have your favorite celebrities give you a personalized shout out for a fee. The ultimate promise of our networked society – near-instant, on-demand access to your heroes – finally realized. Over a year later, Cameo has basically become the Mad Max: Fury Road of celebrity interaction services. In an ideal world, this would be an app which enabled you to pay Cardi B to sing happy birthday to you. In reality, it’s a place where you pay Riff Raff fifty bucks to get your name wrong and slur at you incoherently from a treadmill" (Hennessey, 2019).
The act of "exchanging" implies changing something for something else (Lechte, 2003).
Sources used in this blog:
- Landrum, C. (2019). The Most Expensive Celebrities On Cameo. Retrieved from https://y98.radio.com/blogs/courtney-landrum/most-expensive-celebrities-cameo
- Hennessy, J. (2019). The celebrity shoutout app 'Cameo' is a boulevard of broken dreams. Retrieved from https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/cameo-celebrity-shoutout-app/
- Exchange. (2003). In J. Lechte, Key contemporary concepts. London, UK: Sage UK. Retrieved from https://elibrary.jcu.edu.au/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sageukcc/exchange/0?institutionId=429
- Kuttainen, V. (2019). BA1002: Exchange. Week 8 notes [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from https://learn.jcu.edu.au/ultra/courses/_97532_1/outline
Cameo is the widely famous website where users can pay to have any of the chosen talent give a custom shout out to either the user or someone the user knows. The talent on the website includes everyone from actors, to musical artists, athletes, viral influencers, showbiz personalities and more.
In order to get a shout out from these celebrities and well known names, users must pay to have their custom message spoken. The prices of talent can range from $5, all the way to $2,500 for someone such as Caitlyn Jenner! (Landrum, 2019)
James Hennessey of Pedestrian wrote on how the celebrities of the app are not as good as promised. He writes, "Cameo made a spectacularly large promise: you can have your favorite celebrities give you a personalized shout out for a fee. The ultimate promise of our networked society – near-instant, on-demand access to your heroes – finally realized. Over a year later, Cameo has basically become the Mad Max: Fury Road of celebrity interaction services. In an ideal world, this would be an app which enabled you to pay Cardi B to sing happy birthday to you. In reality, it’s a place where you pay Riff Raff fifty bucks to get your name wrong and slur at you incoherently from a treadmill" (Hennessey, 2019).
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| The globally popular website works through exchange. |
The act of "exchanging" implies changing something for something else (Lechte, 2003).
Reciprocal exchange is this act of, "I
give you/ you give me stuff/status/pleasure" (Kuttainen, 2019).
This act of reciprocal exchange is what Cameo works off of. The exchange of money for the time and effort of somebody at a higher and more well known social status. This is what draws customers; this illusion that someone famous will say anything you tell them to.
In the BA1002 lecture on exchange, an example of use value and exchange value was given. The example presented two different models of sneakers. They are both manufactured the same, and face the same physical demands - this is the use value. The shoe with the Nike swoosh on it, however, costs almost triple the price and more people will be incline to buy it. Why is this? Because the logo is seen more often, more people wear the shoe, and more people talk about it. Therefore the exchange value is higher and people crave it more.
This rule of use value and exchange value is very relevant when relating to Cameo. It makes the whole situation seem as though it is in the customer's favor when in actuality, personalities such as Perez Hilton are getting paid an easy $50 for 30 seconds of their time. At the end of the day, these celebrities are just people, too. It is their exchange value, however, which makes them seem so much more.
In the BA1002 lecture on exchange, an example of use value and exchange value was given. The example presented two different models of sneakers. They are both manufactured the same, and face the same physical demands - this is the use value. The shoe with the Nike swoosh on it, however, costs almost triple the price and more people will be incline to buy it. Why is this? Because the logo is seen more often, more people wear the shoe, and more people talk about it. Therefore the exchange value is higher and people crave it more.
This rule of use value and exchange value is very relevant when relating to Cameo. It makes the whole situation seem as though it is in the customer's favor when in actuality, personalities such as Perez Hilton are getting paid an easy $50 for 30 seconds of their time. At the end of the day, these celebrities are just people, too. It is their exchange value, however, which makes them seem so much more.
Sources used in this blog:
- Landrum, C. (2019). The Most Expensive Celebrities On Cameo. Retrieved from https://y98.radio.com/blogs/courtney-landrum/most-expensive-celebrities-cameo
- Hennessy, J. (2019). The celebrity shoutout app 'Cameo' is a boulevard of broken dreams. Retrieved from https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/cameo-celebrity-shoutout-app/
- Exchange. (2003). In J. Lechte, Key contemporary concepts. London, UK: Sage UK. Retrieved from https://elibrary.jcu.edu.au/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sageukcc/exchange/0?institutionId=429
- Kuttainen, V. (2019). BA1002: Exchange. Week 8 notes [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from https://learn.jcu.edu.au/ultra/courses/_97532_1/outline
Hi Zachary,
ReplyDeleteThis is such compelling read! You provided really great background information on Cameo, I had not heard of it before and got a sound understanding from your explanation. Well done.