What Happened:
Cameo launched Red Carpet Rewards, a new loyalty program designed to turn one-time gifters into repeat buyers. Customers retroactively earn 5% back in credits for all past purchases - a surprise perk meant to “win back” millions of former buyers.
The loyalty program unlocks data Cameo has historically lacked. Since 85% of Cameos are gifts, the company rarely knew anything about the end recipient, making segmentation and retention nearly impossible.
CEO Steven Galanis says the company’s biggest opportunity is repeat usage. Despite a 4.9-star app and millions of videos sold, Cameo’s repeat rate is shockingly low. Galanis described it as “the highest NPS and lowest repeat rate” his board has ever seen, making loyalty a top strategic priority.
These insights were discussed during Galanis’ conversation on Loyalty360’s Brand Stories podcast.
Our Take:
Cameo’s retroactive rewards strategy reframes most loyalty programs. Instead of "earn points when you come back," it's "we've been keeping track, and you've already earned this."
For customers who've spent hundreds or thousands over the years without recognition, that acknowledgment itself becomes the loyalty driver. Galanis gave his cell phone number to the 100+ customers who've spent over $100,000 each - people his team didn't even know existed before analyzing the data for this launch.
The program also reveals how platform economics shape retention strategy. Cameo historically avoided building its app into a destination because Apple's 30% fee made in-app purchases economically painful for talent (who'd earn $52.50 instead of $75 on a $100 video). The recent Apple versus Epic ruling changed that calculus, and now Cameo is "quadrupling down" on app engagement.
Looking ahead, Cameo's roadmap suggests they're taking loyalty cues from an unexpected place: music fan clubs. Galanis specifically cited Pearl Jam and The Grateful Dead as models for how talent can own customer relationships and create ecosystems. The goal is to become the CRM infrastructure for creators who can't reach their followers organically anymore as social platforms shift from follower graphs to algorithmic feeds.
The test will be whether Cameo can shift its brand identity from "special occasion" to a "regular indulgence." Usually, looyalty programs work when there's frequency to reward. For now, Cameo is betting that retroactive recognition, VIP experiences, and finally knowing what customers actually want will turn gift-givers into habitual platform users.
Listen to the full conversation from Loyalty360 here.