Episode 10, Part 1: Culture as a Commodity: The Marketplace of Meaning

What do Netflix, Disney, BTS, and McDonald’s have in common?They don’t just sell content, music, or meals — they sell culture. And they’ve built billion-dollar strategies around turning identity into product.In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Kate Foronda unpacks how culture has become a global commodity — branded, packaged, and monetized at scale. From fast fashion runways to streaming platforms and tourist destinations, cultural storytelling is now a major force in international trade.You’ll explore:How companies like Netflix, Disney, Duolingo, and Gucci export more than products — they export meaning. The rise of soft power through cultural diplomacy (think BTS, Confucius Institutes, and French language promotion). Why tourism, food, and fashion are now tools of cultural trade. How platforms like TikTok and Instagram speed up the global diffusion of trends. If culture is currency, what are we buying—and what are we selling?🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. @Katsiaryna (Kate) Foronda foronda.us #CultureAsACommodity #GlobalTrade #CulturalCommerce #SoftPower #NetflixEffect #DisneyCulture #BTSeconomy #Gucci #Duolingo #CreativeEconomy #CulturalDiplomacy #FashionPolitics #TourismEconomy #DigitalCulture #KateForonda #CircusAndCircuit #CulturalExports #TraditionAndTrade #StreamingPower #MeaningAsMarketTune in now to discover what’s ahead in the Circus & Circuit of global trade!