Applying Saussures Semiotics to the Latest Jollibee Facebook Posts
An Academic Paper presented to
Dr. Claudette A. Baluran
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course:
English 240 English in the Media
By: Sharmaine N. Moreno
ABE-4B
Semiotics from the Greek root semeion is a systematic approach to understand signs
and symbols and how they function. It is also known as the science of signification and is often
heard to spring from two people: F. de Saussure (Swiss-French, 1857-1913) and C.S.
Peirce (Anglo-American, 1839-1914).
According to Ferdinand de Saussure, a Swiss linguist, semiotics is the study of signs and
their meaning in society. A sign is something which can stand for something else in other
words, a sign is anything that can convey meaning. So words can be signs, drawings can be
signs, photographs can be signs, even street signs can be signs. Modes of dress and style, the
type of bag you have, or even where you live can also be considered signs, in that they convey
meaning.
In his continuous study of this, Saussure accepted that there must be two sides of
meaning that posits a natural relationship between words and things. So he created his two
part dyadic model of sign which includes a signifier, the form that we read or being
interpreted by the signified which is the idea being expressed or an interpretation that is
added to the signifier. He called this syntagmatic relationship as a linguistic sign which does not
link a name of a thing; instead it links a concept or an acoustic image.
For example, a cat is a cat or by what name you call it. It is because of an agreed upon
convention of language that I call this animal a cat. Another good example is the word hot. If
we take the spoken word hot as a signifier, what might be the signified? In one context or
situation, hot might refer to temperature. But in another, it might refer to something as sexy,
a body in perfect shape or a beautiful woman. This inseparable relationship between signifier
and signified can change over time and in dissimilar context.
This is important, because signs are understood and encoded in context so as with the
word hot the relationship between signifier and signified is made meaningful in context. This
area starts by looking at signs which can be understood and encode in context. Language
becomes flexible and changeable which de Saussure called it as arbitrary. And because of this
fact we use codes to help us learn what some signs mean.
All engaging in life belongs to semiotics. Think of anything which interests you it may
be music, fashion, social media, etc. since all these interesting things have textual and
visual meaning. In this generation of information communication and technology, it is very
important to know the new communication mediums and the information they wish to
convey.
One of the new communication medium is the social media named Facebook. It
was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004 and has the primary goal to make the world more
open and connected.
Facebook has been a platform of communication and a way of sharing information
through advertising in business field.
The writer uses the recent 5 Facebook posts on different products of the famous fast
food chain here in the Philippines named Jollibee.
The data are collected from the recent Facebook posts of official Jollibees page here
in Philippines that have an identical characteristic as sign. The data of the images can be
presented on the table below:
Object Expression Form Interpretation
Image 1 Share this lucky pack of -To persuade the audience to
Garlic and Cheese Fries para share the flavored fries.
matuloy na ang flavorful -To tell the audience what
adventure na pinaplano ng magic can the flavored fries
barkada! do if they share it.
Image 2 Enjoy 100% beefy linamnam -To invite the audience to
kasama ang saucy and taste the delicious Burger
peppery sarap ng Pepper Steak.
Cream Burger Steak! -To tell the audience the
exact ingredient that makes
the product tastier.
Image 3 End the day with your -To invite the audience to
favorite Halo-halo Sundae. taste their halo-halo sundae.
-To inform that Halo-halo
sundae give them
refreshment after a tiring
day.
Image 4 Talagang walang kapantay -To claim Jollibees chicken
ang crispylicious at joy as the best chicken joy in
juicylicious sarap g town.
Chickenjoy! Tawag na sa -To inform the audience their
#87000 to get the taste of contact details.
the #1Best-Tasting Fried
Chicken in the Philippines
today.
Image 5 Extrarice? Mapa-oo ka sa -Burger Steak has 100% beef
100% beefy linamnam at in it.
saucy sarap ng Jollibee -To inform the audience how
Burger Steak! Burger steak can make them
satisfied.
In analyzing the data, according to the semiotic signification of the advertisement, the
writer analyzes the meaning of the pictorial aspect and the context that gives the context to
an object of advertisement, and the text of the advertisement as the linguistic symbol.
Image 1
In this image, Jollibees packaging of fries has the color red and they put their logo with their brand
name Jollibee.
In Saussures theory on signifier and signified which explains that each signs has an underlying meaning.
In putting the brand name and logo on the product of Jollibee, the audience will signified it that it is a
product of a certain fast food chain which is Jollibee.
The writer noticed that the image of fries is just a plain one which does not connect to their signifier
garlic and cheese. So the signified will perceive its own context with the underlying knowledge of the
garlic and cheese.
Image 2
In this image, the sign of pepper cream is well conveyed and the codes here help to ensure that the
message intended is approximate to the message received. Like the pepper cream which appears as
slightly red and a cream on top.
Image 3
In this image, the iconic sign of the halo-halo which is similar to its real signified concept proves the
similarity of appearance. And the icy feeling of this image reflects the signified idea that it is really food
for refreshment.
Image 4
The brown color of the fried chicken signified its crispiness for those who will perceive it that way. The
signifier, Jollibee logo is at the top of the picture which signified that this product is theirs.
Image 5
The signifier, burger steak color which is brown and the mushrooms on top can be signified as the best
taste of this food. The signifier Jollibee word on the plate indicates again their product logo.
Based on the analysis of five products which the Jollibee advertised on their Facebook page that has
been made and the general purposed of the semiotic signification research to find a meaning of
denotation and connotation meaning, the writer concludes that there are similarities of sign system
appeared in all advertisement of Jollibee. The usage of elements, text, and logo signifies the Jollibee
product in general. The logo in a red color becomes a trademark of Jollibee and uses to symbolize every
advertisement of Jollibee.
