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VERBAL AND VISUAL MESSAGES ON “JOHNSON BABY” ADVERTISEMENT

By

I PUTU ANDREAN SEPTIANA

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LETTERS UDAYANA UNIVERSITY

ABSTRAK

Skripsi ini membahas tentang pesan verbal, visual, makna, dan fungsi dari kalimat serta gambar yang ditampilkan pada cetakan iklan berbahasa inggris. Sumber data yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini adalah cetakan iklan dari perusahaan Johnson’s baby. Data ini dikumpulkan dengan beberapa tahap dan dianalisa secara rinci menggunakan kajian teori dari Chandler (2001) dalam buku yang berjudul Semiotic for Beginner, dan Leech (1996) dalam buku yang berjudul English in Advertising: A Linguistic Study of Advertising in Great Britain.

Analisa dalam skripsi ini ditemukan bahwa pesan verbal yang terdapat dalam cetakan iklan Johnson.s baby didukung dengan baik oleh pesan visual yang ditampilkan dalam iklan tersebut. Analisa dari makna dan fungsi dari masing-masing kalimat yang terdapat dalam iklan tersebut menemukan lima jenis fungsi kalimat dalam fungsi komunikasi dan semua kalimat tersebut termasuk kedalam conceptual meaning.

Kata kunci : Johnson’s Baby, Verbal, Visual

  • 1)    Background of the Study

As a means of communication language plays an important role in our daily life, because it serves as the medium for transferring idea, thought, information, and etc. According to Halliday (1978:2) language does not consist of sentence, it consists of text. This means language is not seen as word and sentence only, but it is considered functional in communication.

The “Johnson’s Baby Advertisement” is one of means of communication that consists of verbal and visual parts of advertisement. This study focuses to find the verbal and visual messages of the advertisement of Johnson’s Baby. Based on social site called “facebook”, there are 955312 people who like and 8724 talking

about this. It means this advertisement is popular and has many viewers from different part of the world. It is an interesting topic and requires analysis.

  • 2)    Problems of the Study

  • a.    What are verbal and visual messages presented on the printed advertisement of Johnson’s baby?

  • b.    What are the meaning and function of verbal and visual messages on the printed advertisement of Johnson’s baby?

  • 3)    Aims of the Study

  • a.    To analyze the verbal and visual messages presented on the printed advertisement of Johnson’s baby.

  • b.    To find the meaning and function of verbal and visual messages that exist on the printed advertisement of Johnson’s baby.

  • 4)    Research Method

This study was conducted and completed using library research. The data analysis in this study was presented qualitatively. Qualitative modes of data analysis provide ways of examining, comparing and contrasting, and interpreting meaningful patterns or themes.

  • 4.1    Data Source

The data were taken from the prominent website of the “Johnson’s Baby company”. Because based on social site called “facebook”, there are 955312 people who like and 8724 talking about this. It was chosen as the data of this study was that it provided verbal and visual aspects analyzed in this present study.

  • 4.2    Data Collection

The data in the form of advertisements were collected from resources using computer application called snipping tool. There are some processes in using snipping tool: Opening web page and chose the pictures in the form of advertisement, capturing the pictures using snipping tool. After the data in the form of advertisement were captured, the data of this study were collected through documentation method. There were some steps that were followed in collecting the data. Firstly, the data were read thoroughly and note taking was made. Secondly, the members of verbal and visual messages were identified and classified based on their forms and positions Finally, the relevant data were quoted to be analyzed.

  • 4.3    Method and Technique of Analyzing Data

Method and Technique of analyzing data means how all the data were constructed to find out the solutions to the problems. The data were analyzed by focusing on describing the verbal and visual signs to find out the messages of the signs in the advertisements according to Chandler (2001). The meaning and function that exist in “Johnson’s Baby Advertisement” were analyzed using the theory of advertisement by Leech The analysis of meaning and function were analyzed by determining the components, meaning and function of advertisement.

  • 5)    The Analysis of Verbal and Visual Messages on Johnson’s Baby Advertisement

    • 5.1    The Verbal and Visual Aspects

The verbal aspect of an advertisement is text. Almost all advertisements have texts in the forms of sentence, phrases, or even word These forms describe the product itself and others which are related to the

product. For example, the brand name and the advantages of the product are important aspect in advertisement. The visual aspect is the picture of an advertisement. Dyer (1993:86) states that pictures are “easier” to understand and have more impact than words, they generally offer greater opportunities for the communication of excitement, mode imagination. A picture is used to lead the eyes to the written copy in magazine advertisement in commercial, language is often used merely to reinforce a photograph or filmed sequence.

  • 5.1.1    Verbal and Visual Messages Presented in Advertisement 1

The verbal messages in advertisement one are in the form of sentences, that is, Introducing Johnson’s natural, natural made gentle, the Johnson’s natural product line is the only line of baby skin product, that is, at least 98% natural with over 100 years of baby care expertise, every Johnson’s natural cleanser contains our gentle no more tears formula, buy now, now available in store nationwide, natural product, our environment, outdoor with baby, natural Q and A, Johnson’s. Based on the verbal messages in advertisement one, It is supported by the pictures of three bottles of product, a lot of leaves around the advertisement, Light behind the bottles, White, green, blue, yellow, and brown colours as the visual messages of the advertisement one.

  • 5.1.2    Verbal and Visual Messages Presented in Advertisement 2

Verbal messages in advertisement two are in the form of sentences, that is, Not just beautiful. Johnson’s beautiful, new Johnson’s shampoos give little locks lots of love – for the shiny bright bounce everyone longs for, Johnson’s detangling shampoo 2-in-1formula for fine/normal hair, Johnson’s extra conditioning shampoo 2-in-1 formula for wavy/curly hair, a gentle approach to beautiful hair, Johnson’s ®, © JOHNSON N JOHNSON Consumer Companies, Inc. Based on the verbal messages in advertisement two, It is supported by the pictures of mother kissing her daughter, a little girl smiling, a shiny hair of mother and her daughter, a set of Johnson’s shampoos, black background, yellow, purple, white and blue colour as the visual messages of the advertisement two.

  • 5.1.3    Verbal and Visual Messages Presented in Advertisement 3

Verbal messages in advertisement three are in the form of sentences, that is, What’s my beauty secret?, Johnson’s baby oil on my wet skin keeps me beautifully baby soft all day, Johnson’s ®, www. Johnson’s 10. Com, ©2010 kateryaninc.com. Based on the verbal messages in advertisement three, It is supported by the pictures of a beauty woman only wearing a towel, a beauty woman smiled while touches her skin, her skin is very shiny and beauty, one sample product of baby oil, brown, white, and blue colours as the visual messages of the advertisement three.

  • 5.1.4    Verbal and Visual Messages Presented in Advertisement 4

Verbal messages in advertisement four are in the form of sentences, that is, We now deliver flowers, try JOHNSON’S lavender and chamomile scented baby powder, Johnson’s ®, © JOHNSON N JOHNSON Consumer Companies, Inc 2002. Based on the verbal messages in advertisement four, It is supported by white and purple background, the pictures of a bottle of Johnson’s baby powder sprinkled lavender and chamomile, the image of upside down Johnson’s baby powder bottle, green, and yellow colours as the visual messages of the advertisement four.

  • 5.2    The Meaning and Function

Leech (1974:9) classifies meaning into seven types, they are; conceptual, connotative, stylistic, affective, reflective, collocative, and thematic meaning. Leech (1974:47-50) declares five most important communicative functions, such as; informational, expressive, aesthetic, directive, and phatic function.

  • 5.2.1    The Meaning and Function in Advertisement 1

Based on the headline, body copy, and signature line of advertisement one, it was found that three sentences reflected informational function, two sentences reflected informational and aesthetic function, one sentence reflected directive and informational function, and four sentences reflected directive function. All of the sentences in advertisement one reflected conceptual meaning.

  • 5.2.2    The Meaning and Function in Advertisement 2

Based on the headline, body copy, and signature line of advertisement two, it was found that three sentences reflected expressive function, two sentences reflected aesthetic and directive function, and two sentences reflected informational function. All of the sentences in advertisement two reflected conceptual meaning.

  • 5.2.3    The Meaning and Function in Advertisement 3

Based on the headline, body copy, and signature line of advertisement three, it was found that one sentence reflected phatic function, one sentence reflected expressive function, and three sentences reflected informational function. All of the sentences in advertisement three reflected conceptual meaning.

  • 5.2.4    The Meaning and Function in Advertisement 4

Based on the headline, body copy, and signature line of advertisement four, it was found that one sentence reflected directive and informational function, one sentence reflected directive and aesthetic function, and two sentences reflected informational function. All of the sentences in advertisement four reflected conceptual meaning.

  • 6)    Conclusion

Based on the data in the form of advertisements in this study namely:“Johnson’s natural advertisement, Johnson’s shampoo advertisement, Johnson’s baby oil advertisement, Johnson’s baby powder advertisement”. It was found the relationship between verbal and visual messages presentation. What was written by the advertiser in the form of verbal messages is appropriate with what has been described by advertiser in the form of visual messages. It can be concluded that the verbal messages are perfectly supported by the visual messages, which make the readers interested in reading or seeing this advertisement. The meaning and function analyzed can be divided into three parts; headline, body copy, and signature line. In the headline, the advertiser usually introduces the product in general. It is done in order to persuade the readers as an introduction to the product. In the body copy, the advertiser usually informs the readers about the description of the product. In the signature line, the advertiser always informs the brand name of the product. Based on four advertisements, It can be concluded that each of the sentence has different function in communicative function, and each of sentence has the same type of meaning.

  • 7)   Bibliography.

Chandler Daniel. 2001. Semiotic for Beginners. Aberystwyth: Aberystwyth University Press

Halliday Michael. 1993. Theory of Language. London

Leech. 1996. English in Advertising: A Linguistic Study of Advertising London : Longman Group Ltd