Circus AND Circuit: Unraveling Global Trade with Kate Foronda

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

Kate Foronda Episode 10

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 

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Tune in now to discover what’s ahead in the Circus & Circuit of global trade!