Brand diplomacy: In Louvre, France hones soft power strategy.

The French are using brand diplomacy to exert cultural influence in a rapidly-changing, globalized world. The opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi this weekend is the latest example of how traditional French cultural diplomacy is being supplanted by brand politics. This can be seen in the exporting of Sorbonne’s academic reputation, the proliferation of Christian Dior boutiques in Asia and the cuisine of master chef Alain Ducasse.