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This study aims to analyze the religious and spiritual symbols represented in the film Titip Surat untuk Tuhan through Roland Barthes’ semiotic approach, focusing on the three levels of meaning: denotation, connotation, and myth. The research employs a qualitative descriptive method using semiotic analysis based on document studies of selected scenes, dialogues, and visual elements portraying religious values, prayer, sacrifice, patience, hope, gratitude, and trust in God. The findings reveal that symbols such as the mosque, mukena, sarong, prayer mat, the Qur’an, prayer activities, the post office as a medium for sending letters to God, and the calligraphy of “Allah” and “Prophet Muhammad” on the walls function not only as literal signs but also convey profound religious and spiritual connotations. These symbols further develop into myths that reinforce religious norms and cultural beliefs accepted as natural within society. The film successfully constructs a subtle yet powerful representation of faith by portraying a Muslim family that upholds devotion, moral values, patience, compassion, and an enduring relationship with God. Overall, the film demonstrates how religious symbols effectively communicate spiritual messages while strengthening viewers’ understanding of Islamic values through visual and narrative storytelling.

This study aims to analyze the representation of healthy lifestyle ideology in government digital campaigns through the Instagram content of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia (@kemenpora). The rapid development of social media as a medium for public communication has encouraged government institutions to utilize digital platforms to deliver policy messages in a more persuasive, visual, and interactive manner. In this context, social media content functions not only as a source of information, but also as a space  for the production of meaning and ideology that shapes public understanding of health and lifestyle. This research employs a qualitative approach using Kress and van Leeuwen’s multimodal semiotic analysis, which includes three metafunctions of meaning: representational, interactive, and compositional. The analysis is further enriched by Roland Barthes’ semiotic framework at the levels of denotation, connotation, and myth to uncover the deeper ideological meanings embedded within the campaign visuals. The findings reveal that @kemenpora’s visual content constructs a dichotomy between unhealthy food consumption and physical activity as opposing lifestyle choices. At the mythological level, the campaign reproduces the ideology of healthism, which positions health as solely an individual responsibility while obscuring the social and structural dimensions influencing public health conditions. This study concludes that government digital campaigns function not only as instruments of public education, but also as strategic communication tools that construct healthy lifestyle ideology within the digital sphere.

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has fundamentally transformed digital marketing communication, while emerging as a strategic instrument in public relations practices of global corporations. This study aims to examine the construction of meaning around artificial intelligence as a financial solution within the cultural context of Lebaran, while analyzing the PR communication strategy employed by Google Indonesia in building persuasive messages for its public on digital platforms. The research object is a video advertisement posted on the official Instagram account @googleindonesia on March 7, 2025, promoting the Gemini Canvas feature for managing Tunjangan Hari Raya (THR) budgets. This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with an interpretive paradigm, integrating two complementary analytical perspectives: first, Roland Barthes three-level semiotic analysis — denotation, connotation, and myth — to deconstruct meaning constructed through visual, verbal, and auditory signs in the advertisement; second, the PR communication strategy framework from Smith (2021) to identify how the choices of mascot, emotional message, and cultural appeal represent strategically planned communication decisions by Google Indonesia. The findings reveal that Google Indonesia constructs Gemini Canvas as an empathetic and culturally aware entity through three key elements: anthropomorphic symbolism in the form of a bespectacled cat functioning as brand mascot, local cultural markers of ketupat and THR, and Arabic-nuanced music that aurally reinforces the Lebaran atmosphere — all representing deliberate strategic PR decisions. From Smith’s (2021) perspective, the advertisement applies a proactive communication strategy combining negative emotional appeal — financial anxiety ahead of THR — immediately followed by positive emotional appeal as a concrete solution through Gemini Canvas, representing a structured form of public perception shaping. At the myth level, the advertisement normalizes reliance on digital platforms through systematic cultural localization. This study contributes to understanding AI-based digital marketing communication strategies and the shaping of public perception on AI technology by global corporations in the Indonesian market.  

The phenomenon of emotional healing has become increasingly prominent in popular culture as the younger generation experiences increasing loss, emotional exhaustion, and numbness. Popular music serves as a medium of expression, representing these emotional dynamics through poetic language and symbolic structures. This study aims to analyze the emotional representation of healing in Umay Shahab's song "Perayaan Mati Rasa" using Roland Barthes's semiotic approach. The research method used is descriptive qualitative, analyzing three layers of meaning: denotation, connotation, and myth, through breaking down the lyrics into several lexicons and reading signs. The results show that (1) denotatively, the lyrics construct an emotional arc from inner tension to self-contemplation; (2) connotatively, the use of diction and imagery represents vulnerability, resilience, and emotional reflection; and (3) at the mythical level, the song constructs release as a form of emotional maturity and loss as a process of identity formation. Thus, this song functions as a cultural representation in interpreting the process of emotional healing in popular culture.

Traditional artworks, amidst the tide of modernization and digitalization, face the challenge of being stigmatized as static relics of the past. However, in the midst of increasingly modern civilization, traditional artworks are perceived to possess philosophical values ​​for the younger generation. The meanings contained in traditional songs possess a social perspective lacking in most traditional songs composed in the modern era. The purpose of this article is to examine the lyrics of Ki Nartosabdo's song "Lumbung Desa" philosophically and sociologically, applying Roland Barthes's semiotic theory. The research method used is a qualitative descriptive approach to analyze semiotics, comprising the significance of denotation, connotation, and myth.The analysis shows that the denotation in the lyrics of "Lumbung Desa" depicts agricultural activities occurring in rural communities. Connotatively, the lyrics interpret the values ​​of human spirituality towards God, integrity in work, and food self-sufficiency. From a mythical perspective, the lyrics symbolize the values ​​of harmony in social life and mutual cooperation as a solid foundation for building national stability and progress. Further analysis of the song lyrics' relevance in the modern era shows that the meaning of "Lumbung" has transformed into financial and digital independence, while the value of "Rukun" points to the application of ethics in the use of digital media in the modern era. This article concludes that preserving traditional songs is a strategy to revive culture as a manifestation of material progress that impacts the well-being of modern society.

This study aims to analyze the symbolic meaning of the mangulosi tradition in Toba Batak traditional wedding ceremonies using Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method, with data collected from visual media such as YouTube and TikTok, supported by informants familiar with Toba Batak culture. The findings reveal that meaning in the mangulosi tradition is constructed through three levels of signification: denotation, connotation, and myth. At the denotative level, mangulosi is understood as the act of giving ulos in a wedding ceremony. At the connotative level, ulos and the ritual process convey symbolic meanings such as blessings, protection, harmony, and the strengthening of social and kinship relationships. At the myth level, the tradition reinforces the cultural ideology that marriage is considered legitimate when it receives recognition and blessings from family and customary authorities. Quantitatively, the findings show that artifacts are dominated by visual connotative meanings (40%), while ritual actions emphasize non-verbal (30%) and verbal (20%) meanings. Therefore, the mangulosi tradition is not only a ceremonial practice but also a medium for preserving cultural identity and social values within the Toba Batak community.

The development of digital media has encouraged various forms of identity representation on video-sharing platforms such as YouTube. In this context, mukbang content functions not only as entertainment but also as a medium for constructing creators’ personal branding. This study aims to analyze how personal branding is constructed in food vlogging and mukbang content produced by Tanboy Kun on YouTube. This research employs a qualitative approach using qualitative content analysis to identify communication patterns, visual representations, and thematic consistency within the videos. The analysis is based on six indicators of personal branding by Montoya and Vandehey (2002): specialization, personality, distinctiveness, visibility, persistence, and goodwill, reinforced by Roland Barthes’ semiotic approach at the levels of denotation, connotation, and myth. The findings indicate that personal branding is constructed through the consistent concept of extreme and spicy food as specialization, expressive communication style as personality, content differentiation as distinctiveness, upload intensity as visibility, format continuity as persistence, and positive image formation through attitudes and interaction as goodwill. These results demonstrate that personal branding in mukbang content is strategically formed through consistent and structured representation. This study contributes to digital communication research, particularly in understanding personal identity construction in video-based media.