VISUAL SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF BEVERAGE ADVERTISEMENTS: COMPARATIVE STUDY OF POCARI SWEAT AND MINUTE MAID
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35194/jj.v14i2.6710Keywords:
Visual Semiotics, Peirce Triadic Model, Brand Identity, Advertisement.Abstract
This study employs visual semiotic theory to analyze the meaning-making process in beverage advertisements, specifically focusing on Peirce’s triadic model of sign (representamen, object, and interpretant. The method used in this study was a qualitative method using document analysis instrument. The aim of this research are to reveal what are the visual semiotic elements found in Pocari Sweat and Minute Maid beverage advertisement, and to describe how do the visual semiotic elements in Pocari Sweat advertisements differ from those in Minute Maid in representing brand identity and consumer appeal. Data were collected from official advertisements published on the youtube account of both products. The results shows five recurring elements categories: logo, colour, typography, composition, and metaphor. Pocari Sweat employs a geometric blue-and-white logo, monochromatic backgrounds, sans-serif type, and symmetrical framing; together these signs iconically and indexically foreground scientific precision, clinical purity, and athletic discipline. Metaphors such as droplets on a chilled bottle and a sunrise workout visually equate the drink with electrolyte restoration and spiritual renewal. Minute Maid, by contrast, features a curved black-and-green logo, saturated citrus hues, playful handwriting fonts, and diagonal compositions. These choices index orchard freshness and family spontaneity, while metaphors of splashing juice and smiling parents symbolise sensory pleasure and intergenerational vitality. Comparative analysis reveals that Pocari Sweat cues a competence brand persona, whereas Minute Maid projects excitement and warmth.
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