Semiotic Analysis of the Lies Theory on 'Sasha' Toothpaste

Advertising

Nawiroh Vera

Universitas Budi Luhur

Keywords: Semiotic, Theory of Lies, Advertisement

Abstract: This paper aims to analyze the Sasha toothpaste advertisement that was broadcast on mass media.

Advertising is one form of communication consisting of information and ideas about a product that aims to

influence the audience to the conative stage. The author is interested in analyzing Sasha's advertisement

because there are several signs in the ad that are not in accordance with the reality in the Indonesian context,

namely the content of siwak flakes on Sasha which siwak is a tradition of brushing teeth that refers to the

Prophet Muhammad's recommendations as a sunnah. For the analysis needs of researchers using the theory

of lies Umberto Eco. The method of this research is descriptive qualitative using semiotic analysis, wherein

the semiotics the analysis focuses on the signs contained in the ad text. The results of the study indicate that

the sign conveyed in Sasha's advertisement is a false sign referring to the Eco teori. Based on observations

and analysis on Sasha toothpaste advertisements, it can be concluded that "Hijrah" and "Siwak" are signs

that can be used to lie. Even words, images can also be used to lie. This is what Umberto Eco meant by the

Theory of Lies.

1 INTRODUCTION

Advertising is a form of persuasive communication

that aims to influence the audience to the conative

stage. The purpose of the advertiser is of course that

the products or services that are informed attract the

interest of the audience to buy or use them. Based on

this, the advertising creator set a creative strategy in

creating advertising messages.

"Advertising is a form of communication that

consists of information and ideas about a product

that is aimed at the audience simultaneously in order

to get a good reception, advertising tries to provide

information, persuade and convince" (Sudiana,

1986: 1). Many types of advertisements, each of

which has its own character. An advertisement

requires creative ideas and concepts so that the

persuasive message can be accepted by the audience.

Advertising is a form of mass communication

that not only functions as a means of promotion to

offer goods and services, but advertising has

expanded functions, which is a tool to instill

symbolic meaning through language and

visualization in advertising messages. In accordance

with its character, advertising is a portrait of reality

that exists in society so that it can spread social,

cultural, political, and so on values.

However, sometimes advertisements that appear

in the mass media do not match the actual reality,

sometimes manipulated, sometimes exaggerated.

Jean Baudrillard calls this phenomenon hyperreality,

from here comes the theory of simulacra. While

Umberto Eco issued a theory of semiotics called the

theory of lies. At first glance, these two theories are

difficult to distinguish, but the context of this theory

is indeed different.

One ad that just appeared in Indonesian mass

media in May 2019 to coincide with the month of

Ramadan is Sasha's toothpaste ad. There are several

things that the author thinks are very interesting in

this Sasha ad. The first is that this advert carries the

tagline "Sasha Pancaran Aura Islami", both of these

ads use # time to migrate. Moreover, what is

interesting is the selection of Teuku Wisnu and

Shireen Sungkar as brand ambassadors with their

Islamic appearance. The target market for this

advertisement is specifically for Muslims because

the content of toothpaste that is a selling point is

using siwak wood powder.

Based on the information from PT Kino Brand

manager, Sasha Halal Toothpaste has the superiority

Vera, N.

Semiotic Analysis of the Lies Theory on ’Sasha’ Toothpaste Advertising.

DOI: 10.5220/0008928800290033

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on IT, Communication and Technology for Better Life (ICT4BL 2019), pages 29-33

ISBN: 978-989-758-429-9

of the original Siwak flake content in each product,

it has also received halal certification. In addition to

getting a Halal certificate, Sasha's toothpaste has

also received a Halal Assurance System (SJH)

certificate. Siwak, in the view of Islamic teachings,

is a sunnah because the Prophet, according to

history, always uses siwak to clean his teeth.

Figure 1. Siwak wood

Figure 2. Sasha's toothpaste packaging

The author is interested in analyzing Sasha's

advertisement because there are several signs in the

ad that is not in accordance with reality in the

Indonesian context. For example, Siwak raw

materials derived from Ark trees are tough to find in

Indonesia, as reported in the following website

portal: Siwak or Miswak (Salvadora persica Linn.)

Is a plant that in Biology belongs to the

Salvadoracea family, and has been widely cultivated

and spread in arid regions of the world, from India in

the East stretching to the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq,

Sudan in the North, and Central Africa to Mauritania

in the West (https://ganaislamika.com/siwak-1-

tanaman-multi-guna-dari-timur-tengah/).

In order to strengthen the results of the analysis

and findings in this study, the author uses the

method of semiotic analysis to reveal the hidden

meanings displayed in this advertisement. Data is

collected from Sasha advertisements spread in the

mass media

2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Semiotic

One of the semiotic figures in critical thinking is

Umberto Eco. In one of his books entitled "Semiotic

Theory," Eco said that semiotics is a study that

examines the entire process of social life as a

process of communication. Eco illustrates, people

communicate through a variety of mediums, from

the clothes they wear to the homes they occupy.

From images, music, to culinary practices and even

the landscape of the City. This communication

process is called "significance." In this case, Eco

refers to Peirce's idea of the process of non-linguistic

communication, which does not require the

emergence of message senders (Eco, 2009). The

strong influence of the structuralism tradition, Eco's

view of sign theory rejects between the appearance

of signs and social practice.

The starting point underlying the theory of codes

and signs is "semiosis" (the term from Peirce) which

is infinite. "Umberto Eco's view of infinite semiosis

is related to a type of mediator in relation to the

position of the reader. infinite meaning on the other

side: The unlimited semiosis of Eco is the same as

the meaning of the Interpretant of Peirce (Lechte,

2001: 203).

The code associates language expressions with

their fields of content. Eco uses the term "code-s" to

indicate the code used according to the structure of

the language. Without code, sound or graphic signs

do not have any meaning, and in the most radical

sense do not function linguistically. Kode-s can be

"denotative" (if a statement can be understood

literally), or "connotative" (if other codes appear in

the same statement).

In the view of Umberto Eco, the code consists of

two types, namely:

- Single code, where one element system is

translated into another system. For example,

Morse code.

- The code has a context; the purpose of the

context here is social and cultural life.

Therefore, the sign can have many meanings,

meaning comes depending on the ability of the

language user or the sign system. (Lechte,

2001: 201).

Based on this, Eco concluded that all types of

cultural products are semiosis phenomena because

they contain both of these elements. Consequently,

the general theory of culture should be born from the

womb of semiotics (Eco, 2009: 38). Eco defines

ICT4BL 2019 - International Conference on IT, Communication and Technology for Better Life

culture as a marking system through which the

social order is communicated.

In addition to his interest in structuralism text

analysis, Eco also combines openness, ambiguity,

and reader. Umberto Eco said: "The author must

strive so that the potential passwords he believes can

be captured by prospective readers. The author must

be able to understand the prospective readers "(Eco,

1984 in Sutrisno, 2005: 202). Eco distinguishes

between closed text and open text. Closed texts

usually do not have alternative interpretations, while

open texts are deliberately designed to give way to

the emergence of multiple interpretations

(polysemic). The main characteristic of the text is

ambiguity, irony, and complexity.

There are three things concerning the role of the

reader, namely;

1. Semiotic codes and narrative codes are not

merely the result of logical or transcendental

cultural grammar, but rather the result of

textual strategies where the author tries to

communicate with the reader.

2. The reader has the freedom to interpret. In

examining the construction of meaning, it

must also be observed the cultural code of the

text.

3. The text will vary according to what is

expected to close the reader's freedom of

interpretation. (Sutrisno, 2005: 202).

2.2 The Theory of Lie

“Semiotics is in principle the discipline studying

everything which can be used in order to lie” (Eco,

1979: 7).

"If something cannot be used to express a lie, on

the contrary it cannot be used to reveal the truth: it

cannot in fact be used to" express "anything."

(Piliang, 2003: 45)

According to Umberto Eco, the sign system is a

cultural entity, that is the result of human

construction. This allows the mark to be used as the

correct delivery of information. However, the sign

can also be misused to convey a message that does

not match reality. Implicitly Eco's definition of the

theory of lies is if semiotics is a lie theory, then it is

also the theory of truth. Because, if a sign cannot be

used to reveal the truth, then it cannot also be used

to reveal lies. Thus the implicit lie theory is the truth

theory, as the word afternoon is implicit with the

word night. (Piliang, 2003:45)

Lies in the Eco perspective are not like actual

meanings, not denotative meanings, but intelligent

lies (Milan Kundera 1990 referred to as Imagology)

carried out by people who are experts in

communication such as; mass media, advertising,

film industry, etc. This is in line with Jean

Boudrillard's theory of hypertension (figure of

postmodernism). According to Baudrillard, hyper

reality is the world of simulacrum and reality

distortion where production and games are free of

signs so that signs of loss of contact with reality are

represented, where reality has been replaced by false

images. In this way, something imaginary can be

made real (Eco, 2009 at the reviewer Sugeng P.

Syahrie). Denotative lies say or write something we

know is not valid; in other words, the sign is not in

accordance with reality.

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Analysis based on Communication

Phenomena

An example of a lie in Eco's perspective is Sasha's

toothpaste advertisement, which promotes Islamic

religious elements, namely siwak raw material. The

tag line "Pancaran aura Islami" and the time of

pilgrimage is a sentence that is identical to Islam. In

addition to the brand Ambassador Teuku Wisnu and

Shireen Sungkar, some of the advertising stars are

all Muslim/Muslimah seen from the Muslim

clothing they use. Testimonials from users are

almost all Muslim. Based on this, it is certain that

Sasha's target market is Muslims.

Figure 3. Sasha Advertisement

Siwak, in the view of Islam, is the sunnah of the

Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet used Siwak to

clean his teeth and mouth every time he prayed.

Sasha's marketing raises this sunnah in marketing its

Semiotic Analysis of the Lies Theory on ’Sasha’ Toothpaste Advertising

products. Even though history based on siwak is not

only used by Muslims, although it is closely related

to Muslim culture. This was evidenced by an article

written by Ra'ed I. Al Sadhan and Khalid Almas, he

once wrote a paper on the history of the use of siwak

which was later published in Saudi Dental Journal in

1999. In a paper entitled "Miswak (Chewing Stick):

A Cultural and Scientific Heritage" it is mentioned

that miswak or siwak has been used by Babylonians

since around 7,000 years ago. Siwak was also used

in the Greek and Roman empires. Furthermore,

Siwak is also used by Jews, ancient Egyptians and

Muslims today(kumparan.com)

So basically not only Muslims who use siwak,

but as if the advertisement wants to say that siwak is

an Islamic culture, the prophet advocates to mate,

therefore Muslims should replace the toothpaste

used with Sasha because Sasha is one- only

toothpaste in Indonesia containing siwak wood

chips.

The people featured in the advert are public

figures whose daily appearance is identical to Islam.

The phrase "perfecting the sasha's hijrah with

bersiwak" is time for pilgrimage always put forward.

Figure 4. Sasha’s Brand Ambassadors

The reality of Islamic aura is not only visible

from a lifestyle that in this case, is the selection of

cosmetics such as toothpaste. Actual Islamic aura is

a person's daily behavior that reflects good morals as

a foundation for behaving in life.

Siwak is a tool for brushing teeth, but in this

advertisement, the siwak used is Ark wood chips and

only one part of the Sasha ingredient. To strengthen

the Islamic image, the advertisement uses

Ambassador ad shireen and Wisnu, which appear to

be in an Islamic-style fashion that is used with the

slogan "Perfect Hijrah with Sasha"

This is where the simulacrum and reality

distortion is taking place through production and the

free play of signs, so the signs of loss of contact with

reality are represented. The audience is lied to the

slogan "Hijrah with Sasha" because the real

understanding of Hijrah is not that simple. The

Hijrah referred to in this ad is because Sasha claims

that only this toothpaste is halal and is suitable for

consumption by Muslims, so let Muslims move to

use halal toothpaste. Actually, there are many other

brand kinds of toothpaste that also get halal

certificates from MUI.

Another thing to note is that Ark wood raw

material cannot grow in Indonesia because it can

only grow in hot areas such as in the desert and in

several other places. Using siwak raw materials

means that production costs are more expensive,

sold to the market is also expensive. Only certain

people want to buy. Even though Muslims in

Indonesia are not all able to use expensive

toothpaste.

4 CONCLUSION

Something that is imaginary becomes apparent in

advertisements in the mass media. Signs in the form

of images, music, text-tagline are imagology in the

mass media, which Eco calls a theory of lies, or

hyperreality in baudrillard terms.

Based on observations and analysis on Sasha

toothpaste advertisements, it can be concluded that

"Hijrah" and "Siwak" are signs that can be used to

lie. Even words, images can also be used to lie. This

is what Umberto Eco meant by the Theory of Lies.

Namely the virtual world that is not in accordance

with the reality, but the results of the game signs that

can be interpreted mixed, depending on the

individuals who interpret it.

ICT4BL 2019 - International Conference on IT, Communication and Technology for Better Life

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https://ganaislamika.com/siwak-1-tanaman-multi-guna-

dari-timur-tengah/ diakses pada hari Jum’at tanggal 14

Juni 2019 pukul. 19.00

https://kumparan.com/@kumparannews/sejarah-siwak-

dari-babilonia-jadi-sunah-nabi-yang-mendunia.

diakses pada hari Sabtu tanggal 15 Juni 2019 pukul.

19.47

Semiotic Analysis of the Lies Theory on ’Sasha’ Toothpaste Advertising