Dynamics of Industrial Revolution 4.0: Digital Technology Transformation and Cultural Evolution –
Wulandari et al (eds)
© 2021 The Author(s), ISBN 978-1-032-04451-4
Expression and message style in Indonesian television advertising
during the month of Ramadhan in the time of the COVID-19
pandemic period
M. Tohir, T. Hendiawan & R. Belasunda
Telkom University, Bandung, Indonesia
ABSTRACT: Advertising on television in the 2020 Ramadan in Indonesia developed in various
styles and became a specific phenomenon. Several issues arise including in the way ideas and
messages were conveyed in the work of television advertisements, especially in the month of
Ramadan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further efforts are needed to be able to understand,
interpret, and appreciate the text of television advertisements. The purpose of this study was
to understand the way form and style of television advertising is revealed and where ideas and
messages from creators were conveyed. The study was conducted using the Barthes semiotic
research method and interpretative descriptive techniques based on the stages of understanding,
denotation, connotation, myth, and ideology. The main objective of this research was to support the
increasingly active and productive role of television viewers to understand, interpret, and appreciate
television commercials through academic studies.
Keywords: TV ads, ideas, messages, Ramadan, pandemic covid-19
1 INTRODUCTION
Advertisement is one of the cultural products that reflects the lives of its people into an inevitable
part of human life. Advertising as a messenger informs us about something and asks us to buy it,
the information it conveys (often) is incorrect, or even if it is true the content is a persuasion to buy
products that we do not need.
Television as a medium for delivering messages has its own character. Many things can be
exploited using this form of media, ranging from conversation, movement, and sounds. Television
with a variety of advantages eventually became a favorite medium to deliver advertisements.
This paper tried to explore what is presented in advertising through a case study on television
advertisements that aired during Ramadan 2020 which coincidentally happened during the COVID19 pandemic. It was designed to understand the kind of messages that would be conveyed besides the
normative product messages that would be linked to the cultural background of making television
commercials. This is because the presence of advertisements is strongly influenced by the social
and cultural life of its people.
2 METHOD
Advertising is a form of paid communication that uses mass media and interactive media to reach
a broad audience to connect clear sponsors with buyers (target audience) and provide information
about products, whether in the form of goods, services, or ideas (Moriarty et al. 2018).
Television is one of the advertising media that is still the backbone of advertisers because
almost every household in Indonesia has a television. Advertising on television media has various
advantages compared to other media. Lee and Johnson (2011) said that television media has
268
DOI 10.1201/9781003193241-50
Wulandari et al (eds)
© 2021 The Author(s), ISBN 978-1-032-04451-4
Expression and message style in Indonesian television advertising
during the month of Ramadhan in the time of the COVID-19
pandemic period
M. Tohir, T. Hendiawan & R. Belasunda
Telkom University, Bandung, Indonesia
ABSTRACT: Advertising on television in the 2020 Ramadan in Indonesia developed in various
styles and became a specific phenomenon. Several issues arise including in the way ideas and
messages were conveyed in the work of television advertisements, especially in the month of
Ramadan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further efforts are needed to be able to understand,
interpret, and appreciate the text of television advertisements. The purpose of this study was
to understand the way form and style of television advertising is revealed and where ideas and
messages from creators were conveyed. The study was conducted using the Barthes semiotic
research method and interpretative descriptive techniques based on the stages of understanding,
denotation, connotation, myth, and ideology. The main objective of this research was to support the
increasingly active and productive role of television viewers to understand, interpret, and appreciate
television commercials through academic studies.
Keywords: TV ads, ideas, messages, Ramadan, pandemic covid-19
1 INTRODUCTION
Advertisement is one of the cultural products that reflects the lives of its people into an inevitable
part of human life. Advertising as a messenger informs us about something and asks us to buy it,
the information it conveys (often) is incorrect, or even if it is true the content is a persuasion to buy
products that we do not need.
Television as a medium for delivering messages has its own character. Many things can be
exploited using this form of media, ranging from conversation, movement, and sounds. Television
with a variety of advantages eventually became a favorite medium to deliver advertisements.
This paper tried to explore what is presented in advertising through a case study on television
advertisements that aired during Ramadan 2020 which coincidentally happened during the COVID19 pandemic. It was designed to understand the kind of messages that would be conveyed besides the
normative product messages that would be linked to the cultural background of making television
commercials. This is because the presence of advertisements is strongly influenced by the social
and cultural life of its people.
2 METHOD
Advertising is a form of paid communication that uses mass media and interactive media to reach
a broad audience to connect clear sponsors with buyers (target audience) and provide information
about products, whether in the form of goods, services, or ideas (Moriarty et al. 2018).
Television is one of the advertising media that is still the backbone of advertisers because
almost every household in Indonesia has a television. Advertising on television media has various
advantages compared to other media. Lee and Johnson (2011) said that television media has
268
DOI 10.1201/9781003193241-50