Parade’s Cami Tellez announces new creator economy marketing platform, $4M in funding

Cami Tellez, the visionary behind the popular undergarments brand Parade, is making a significant comeback with the launch of Devotion, a new influencer marketing platform. Tellez, who started Parade at just 21, positioned it as a competitor to Victoria's Secret for Gen Z consumers. Although Parade was sold in 2023, Tellez is now steering her entrepreneurial journey in a new direction. On Monday, Tellez and former TikTok executive Jon Kroopf unveiled Devotion, designed to streamline how large brands manage their influencer programs. Current practices often involve teams manually coordinating influencer partnerships, a process that can be cumbersome and slow. "The first version of the creator economy focused on working with a few high-profile creators each month, but that model is outdated," Tellez stated. Highlighting the challenges in the industry, Tellez referenced a report predicting that creators will still only account for about 2% of advertising spend by 2025. She emphasized the need for a scalable model that effectively utilizes content-driven algorithms. Devotion aims to automate various aspects of influencer management, enhancing the efficiency of brand discovery, management, and content workflows. While AI plays a crucial role in this process, Kroopf assured that human oversight is still integral to the platform. "There are no autonomous agents making decisions without human review," he explained. Devotion assists brands in multiple ways, including analyzing influencer content to ensure compliance with company guidelines and helping brands determine which posts to amplify. Tellez, now the creative director of Devotion, noted that the platform also simplifies payment processes for creators, addressing a significant pain point for brands. "We are creating a high-scale creator ecosystem that fosters more effective collaboration and engagement," she said. Following a successful beta phase, Devotion has already attracted over ten clients and achieved seven-figure revenue. With $4 million in new funding led by Basecase and Will Ventures, Devotion is set to expand its team and enhance its technological capabilities. Kroopf expressed confidence in the potential of their platform, stating that previous limitations in the industry made it challenging for brands to invest in such technology. Tellez reminisced about the early days of Parade, where the lack of effective tools made influencer engagement a daunting task. As the landscape of social media evolves, Tellez and Kroopf are adapting to the changing algorithms that now determine content visibility. Tellez pointed out that content performance, rather than follower count, now dictates reach. "We are entering a new paradigm where influence is democratized," she remarked, highlighting the need for brands to collaborate with a wider array of influencers. Devotion is committed to developing tailored strategies to enhance brand engagement with influencers. Tellez also noted that the funding will be used to recruit more engineers and expand their tech infrastructure. The team plans to develop additional AI functionalities but remains tight-lipped about specific features for now. In a world where genuine connections with audiences are increasingly valued, Tellez believes that brands are shifting their focus toward authentic interactions with diverse influencers. "We’re witnessing a consensus shift towards our vision of scaled creator ecosystems, even among the most traditionally conservative brands," she concluded. "With advancements in our AI systems, we aim to manage thousands of creators with precision, ensuring that we maintain a personal touch in our interactions."