Text of cigarette advertisement: A semiology study of Roland Barthes

Abstract

Most of the cigarette advertisements offer various concepts such as fun, style, and self-confidence. These concepts are a series of mythic buildings articulated in advertisements to replace the appearances of messages conveyed by the tobacco products. The message content of the product visuals is replaced not just by the existence of various rules or regulations that prohibit the presence of tobacco products or smoking activities. This is performed to reinforce the impression or a particular image of the product being advertised. Advertising, in the context of this research, is seen as an arena used to resolve social contradictions, offer identity models, and celebrate the existing social order. The A-Mild advertisements shown in Mataram city will be studied using the Roland Barthes Semiology approach. Thus, the use of this approach can show the myths built through signifier and signified and how the symbol of A-Mild cigarette advertisements in Mataram study affects the readers, especially youth according to Roland Barthes semiology.