Peirce�s semiotics analysis of icon and symbol on perfume advertisements

The objective of this study is to find out the meaning of signs on perfume advertisements and to explain its semiosis processes. This study applied descriptive analysis method. Through this method the researcher tries to describe, explain, and analyze the meaning of the signs and investigate its semiosis process using Charles Sanders Peirce�s theory. The unit analysis of this research was the woman perfume advertisement from Sephora site (www.sephora.com), Within the site, There are 510 advertisements of 72 brands But, only advertisements in English language are selected As a result there are 194 perfume advertisements from 29 brands. Because of the large amount of the advertisements, the researcher does sampling by using simple random sampling. The data to be analyzed are 29 advertisements in which each represents 29 brands. For the semiotics analysis, the researcher downloaded and printed the data. . The classified data contain signs which consist of representament, object, and interpretant. The relationship of these three aspects can be delivered a clear meaning of a selected advertisement.. Through this relationship will create the process of delivering meaning and interpretation which is called the semiosis process. The researcher determines which one is the icon and the symbol first from the advertisement, and used it as the data. From the data (icon or symbol), the researcher analyzes the object of the icon or the symbol, and finally got the interpretant in order to give the meaning for the advertisement. In giving meaning, it is only based on the interpretants� formulation of icon and symbol and also based on the reseacher�s understanding in interpreting the sign. The researcher found 29 icons and 23 symbols from the 29 advertisements. From the 29 icons and 23 symbols, the researcher got the 29 meaning of the advertisement. Besides, the researcher also found that the picture (icon) can be the first aspect that can give the direction to the meaning, then the language which is used in the advertisement (symbol). It could be concluded that each advertisement had different sign and also different meaning. These differences had given different interpretations. From the semiotics analysis of 29 advertisements, the advertiser�s complex idea can be easily delivered by the consumer