Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian extremely proud of Black Americans like Kobe Bryant for having huge cultural impact

Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, shared his thoughts on the business side of things as he entered into a conversation on social media discussing the cultural influence of Black Americans and how companies use them to market their products.

On Friday, a Twitter/X thread from entrepreneur Shaan Puri sparked a discussion around advertising strategies from companies like Meta and Apple. Reacting to Meta’s new smart glasses partnership with Oakley, Puri wrote:

“dumb question but why do so many FB & apple ads make it seem like cool black people are their target demo? is that actually their demo? is it just DEI marketing? or is it because they believe the masses are influenced by cool black people?”

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Ohanian, who is a co-founder of Reddit, joined the conversation to highlight the foundational role Black Americans play in shaping culture across the United States.

"Most mainstream culture in America started by black folks — from TikTok dances to slang to fashion to music… cool black people create the trends (tho gettin my credit or getting paid for it is something else)," he wrote.

The conversation touched upon how tech companies often position “cool Black people” in their ad campaigns. Puri even dropped a nod to late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, citing a Nike commercial involving the five-time NBA champion.

"yea - these always just feel so forced. Nike used to do this in a way that felt cool / raw. Like the Kobe jumping over a car video for marketing his shoes," Puri added to his thread.

Replying to his Ohanian called that commercial "iconic af," adding:

"Many more Black-owned agencies now that can help brands talk to consumers early so there’s a chance the products actually land from the start and it’s not forced. Beats did this well when they started in a commodity market (headphones)."

Ohanian has often used his platform to promote inclusion and diversity.

Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian previously made way to promote Black Americans

In the wake of George Floyd's death in 2020, many in the United States protested against systemic racism and social justice in the country. Alexis Ohanian also decided to step down from his board of directors seat at Reddit and urged the board to appoint a Black director in his place.

The decision came from a personal space for Ohanian, as he said:

“I’m writing this as a father who needs to be able to answer his black daughter when she asks, ‘What did you do?’” Ohanian said in his note via HR Dive. “I’m doing this for me, for my family and for my country.”

He also pledged that any further gains on his current Reddit stock would be used/donated in the service of underprivileged Black Americans. Right then and there, he also announced a $1 million donation to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp.

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Krutik Jain

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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