Venus Williams

WeWard signed Venus Williams as both ambassador and investor, not just spokesperson. The deal gives her shares so she acts as a shareholder. It covers use of her image, joint content, TV appearances such as Good Morning America, and replying to journalists.

Yves Benchimol pitched her at a restaurant, and she asked to become an investor as well as ambassador. Journalists answer emails more readily when a conversation with her is possible. The deal affected hiring, press replies, CAC, retention and organic reach at once, which makes it hard to quantify. In his words: "we did this dual deal of ambassador and investor, which means that we can use her image, we produce content together."

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A well-known American face made WeWard feel like a US product. Being French was no advantage in the US, so WeWard sought validation from a famous American figure. Users who see Williams in onboarding perceive the app as American.

The target profile was a sports figure, a fit for the wellness space, who is also known internationally. Retention reportedly rose once she appeared in onboarding, but her effect on CAC and retention is not quantified. Quote: "people have to think that this is a U.S. product and we don't care that you are from France."

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