Vol. 5, No. 4, April 2024
E-ISSN: 2723-6692
P-ISSN: 2723-6595
http://jiss.publikasiindonesia.id/
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 667
Representation of Environmental Issues in Marjan's "Baruna the
Guardian of the Ocean" Ad 2023 Episode 1 and 2
(Analysis Semiotika Charles Sanders Peirce)
Fatimah Nur Aliya Mahruf, Kheyene Molekandella Boer, Johantan Alfando
Wikandana sucipta, Jaka Farih Agustian
Universitas Mulawarman, Indonesia
Email : anew4211@gmail.com, delux_bo[email protected]m, johantan.sucipta@fisip.unmul.ac.id,
jakafarihagustian@fisip.unmul.ac.id
Correspondence: anew4211@gmail.com
*
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Charles Sanders Peirce;
Environmental Issue
Representation; Marjan
Advertising; Marine
Pollution; Plastic Waste;
Semiotics
Environmental issues have become the talk of recent years,
education and information about deteriorating natural
conditions are needed to maintain natural health. Given the
rise of environmental issues in recent years, PT Lasallefood
Indonesia has participated by raising environmental issues as
their advertising concept for 2023. This study aims to show
environmental issues in the form of marine pollution
represented in marjan advertisements "baruna sang guardian
samudra" episodes 1 and 2 using qualitative approaches and
data collection techniques Observation and documentation.
The analysis was conducted by observing scenes related to
marine pollution obtained through symbols and signs
displayed throughout the marjan advertisement "Baruna the
Guardian of the Ocean" episodes 1 and 2 through the approach
of Charles Sanders Pierce's Semiotic Theory. The results of
this study show that the Baruna Sang Guardian of the Ocean
marjan advertisement tries to represent 3 aspects broadly
related to environmental issues of marine pollution, the first
is the act of marine pollution represented by adult characters
who are fishermen and children as coastal villagers who
throw plastic waste into the sea, the second is the impact of
plastic pollution on the marine environment represented by
the inner ocean and the surface that has been Filled with
plastic waste, the last impact of marine pollution that is
happening to marine life is represented by the figure of a
dragon as marine life affected by marine pollution in the form
of being eaten by plastic waste.
Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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1. Introduction
Media has an important role to play in advertising and promotion, with two main ways of
understanding the message conveyed (Shaddiq et al., 2021). First, the influence of the chosen media
on the message given through advertising, and second, how the content of the message in the media
affects the behavior of its audience in advertising, in accordance with Marshall McLuhan's theory of
Technological Determinism, which states that "Media is the Message". McLuhan stresses that the type
of communication media used affects us, such as interpersonal and social media such as YouTube.
Each media has its own language, determines the conditions of society, and has specifications as
messengers, which gives color to the media.
Fierce competition from competitors makes advertising a powerful weapon to stay afloat in the
industrial world. Therefore, the placement of advertisements must be active and dynamic to persuade
people to buy products, not because of necessity, but because the presentation of symbols and images
is mobilized in such a way and is present continuously, and has characteristics of popular culture or
social issues in it. This is in line with Pei Liang's explanation in his book, in advertising, signs are used
actively and dynamically, so that people no longer buy products to meet needs, but to buy symbolic
meanings (Pilliang, 2003: 287) in (Setiawan, 2015). Therefore, signs and images in advertisements
can also explore problem topics and see trends and issues that develop in society. The process of
finding meaning occupies an important place in design works in order to find out every message
conveyed through a work (Gunalan & Hasbullah, 2020, p. 45).
Symbolic representation in advertising is important for human life as a means of
communication to persuade society at large. In the process of communication, the display of symbols
is presented in the form of spoken language or visual language and there is a connection between the
object of the symbol and the reality it represents. Stuart Hall asserts that there are three explanations
of how spoken language represents meaning: reflective, intentional, and constructive (Pangestu,
2018, p. 12), namely, 1) Reflective approach, that meaning is produced by humans through ideas,
media objects and experiences in society in reality. Meaning lies in the objects in question (people,
events, and developing issues). 2) Intentional approach, that speaks language both spoken and
written that gives unique meaning to each of his works. 3) The constructionist approach, that the
speaker and writer, chooses and establishes meaning in the message or work (objects) he makes.
Hall's concepts of representation, encompassing both the mental and linguistic aspects,
underscore the interdependence between our thoughts and language. This connection is crucial in
addressing pressing environmental issues, where education and communication play pivotal roles in
fostering awareness and action. Increasingly, various forms of media, including films, music, and
advertisements, are incorporating messages about environmental degradation, particularly focusing
on the detrimental impact of plastic waste on marine ecosystems. The alarming statistics regarding
the scale of plastic pollution, such as the estimated 5.75 million tons of waste in Indonesia's seas,
highlight the urgent need for concerted efforts to mitigate this crisis. Despite the magnitude of the
problem, only a fraction of plastic waste is recycled, with a significant portion ending up in landfills
or polluting water bodies. The collaboration of government agencies, industries, and society at large
is imperative in addressing this environmental menace and fostering sustainable practices to
preserve the health of our planet's ecosystems (Baqiroh, 2019).
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On November 20, 2018, a sperm whale was found dead and decomposing in Wakatobi,
Southeast Sulawesi. The death of this sperm whale shocked the world because about 5.9 kilograms of
plastic waste was found in the whale's body. The local rapid reaction team in Wakatobi was stunned
to see the amount of plastic waste, including plastic cups, flip-flops and raffia rope, lodged inside the
sperm whale. The location of the sperm whale's death is within the protected area of Wakatobi Marine
National Park (TNP) which should be a safe zone for marine life. The findings are also strong evidence
that Indonesia is in a plastic waste emergency (Belarminus, 2018; Phelan et al., 2020).
Furthermore, according to a 2018 study by Greenpeace Indonesia and various local
communities on three beaches in Indonesia, it was concluded that the most waste on the beach is food
and beverage packaging waste. It found 10,594 types of plastic waste used in 797 different food
brands. Starting from food and beverage products, body care products, household appliances to
cigarette butts. The amount of waste generated every day is huge, and only 7% can be recycled, no
wonder Indonesia's oceans and rivers are mostly filled with garbage (Hatta, 2018).
Indonesia's coastal and marine areas are also very vulnerable to various pollution threats,
including from human domestic activities (marine debris), industry (fish processing), marine
transportation such as oil spills, and other activities. Pollution of the marine environment caused by
humans, which directly or indirectly causes adverse impacts, such as damaging the sustainability of
marine life, thus affecting human health. (UNCLOS. 1982), in addition to polluting marine life, plastic
pollution in the oceans also threatens human life. (AAE:2020) .(Rodríguez, 2021)
In 2018, a new study found that Indonesian salt and fish contain microplastics. Microplastics in
Indonesian salt and fish have been confirmed in two separate studies by researchers from
Hassanuddin University (Unhas), Makassar and the Oceanographic Center of the Indonesian Institute
of Sciences (LIPI). The researchers found that each kilogram of salt contains 10-20 microplastic
particles, which may be harmful to humans after consumption by Princess (2018) in (Peixoto et al.,
2019)
This of course has a negative impact on ecosystems, habitats, marine life and reduces the quality
of the coastal environment. If the threat of pollution is not addressed properly, it can cause wider
negative impacts on human life and biota. According to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries,
there are several categories of marine pollution, including: oil spills, marine debris, dumping,
industrial waste pollution, and accidents of non-oil transport ships at sea. (AAE:2020) (Sodik, 2020).
The rise of environmental issues in recent years has made many large companies intensify the
invitation to protect the environment by creating advertising campaigns containing messages to
protect the environment, as for some large companies in Indonesia that contribute to preventing
environmental pollution, including:
Table 1. Observation of Ads on YouTube related to Environmental Issues
No
Company Name
Year of Views
1
PT. Rumah Mebel
Nusantara (Ikea
Indonesia)
June 4 and 5, 2018
2
PT. Panasonic
Globe Indonesia
January 8, 2019
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3
PT. Danone
Indonesia (Aqua)
28 August 2019
4
PT. Unilever
Indonesia Tbk
(UNVR)
December 10, 2020 and
September 29, 2021
5
PT. Monica
Hijaulestari (The
Body Shop)
9 September 2021
6
GoTo Gojek
Tokopedia Tbk
(Gojek)
April 11, 2022
7
PT. Lasallefood
(Marjan)
February 25, 2023 and
March 21, 2023
Source : Author Data as of June (2023)
Social media platforms like TikTok have become powerful tools for raising awareness about
environmental issues, with both large companies and grassroots movements utilizing them to spread
messages of conservation. Pandawara, an official TikTok account, has garnered significant attention
with its content focused on cleaning polluted aquatic environments, amassing 8.4 million followers
by October 2023. The account's success was underscored by winning three awards at the TikTok
Awards, including Creator of the Year and Change Makers of the Year. This influence has spurred the
emergence of similar accounts, such as Pandawara2, where junior high school students engage in
cleaning activities in their local neighborhoods. These initiatives underscore Indonesia's pressing
environmental challenges, with companies like Marjan also stepping up to address marine pollution.
Marjan, a syrup brand under PT Lasallefood Indonesia, has long been committed to environmental
stewardship, reflecting a growing trend of corporate responsibility in combating environmental
degradation (Bobby, 2023).
Marjan syrup's marketing strategy ahead of Ramadan and Eid involves creating TV
advertisements that are also shared on social media platforms like YouTube, emphasizing the syrup's
significance during the fasting month and celebrations. In 2023, PT Lasallefood Indonesia
incorporated environmental themes into their Ramadan ad series titled "Baruna the Guardian of the
Ocean," consisting of two episodes. The first episode, released on February 25, 2023, portrays Baruna,
the ocean's guardian god, witnessing the consequences of marine pollution, while the second episode,
uploaded on March 21, 2023, depicts Baruna and villagers confronting sea creatures seeking revenge
for the pollution caused by humans. These ads garnered widespread attention, sparking discussions
among popular YouTubers and engaging viewers on Marjan's official channel. The CGI visuals and
environmental narrative attracted online media coverage, raising awareness about marine pollution.
Researchers analyzed these ads using Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic framework to delve into the
meaning conveyed through signs and objects. Contrasting with previous studies on songs and films,
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this research focused on advertising, particularly on YouTube, as an effective platform for
communicating environmental messages due to its interactive features.
In addition, on social media YouTube also sees views or the large number of people who have
watched the ad, and of course these features are not owned by other platforms such as television and
platforms to listen to music. The use of YouTube social media as a means of publishing content related
to environmental issues will certainly make the meaning captured by the audience will be different
when compared to being shown on television or platforms to listen to music, even though it uses the
same concept, namely environmental issues, but the process of absorbing meaning must be different
using qualitative methods and analyzing environmental issues. The purpose of the research in this
study is "To explain the Representation of Environmental Issues contained in the Marjan Baruna Sang
Guardian of the Ocean Ad Series in episodes 1 and 2" using Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic analysis
The benefits expected from this research are that this research is expected to be used as a reference
or learning material for Marjan companies so that in the future they can continue to make
advertisements that contain meaning and messages positive in it. This research is also expected to be
a source of knowledge and learning for the community and this research is expected to be an input in
the field of communication science, especially in the field of semiotics and this research is also
expected to contribute to the understanding of the representation of environmental issues contained
in advertisements, especially for scientific development and analysis of research objects.
2. Materials and Methods
This research uses qualitative research that aims to describe and analyze phenomena, events,
perceptions and thoughts of individuals and human groups, as well as social phenomena. The
research was conducted in a qualitative descriptive form, so that results emerged in the form of
written and oral details of the phenomenon under study (Ghony & Almanshur, 2017, p. 27). This type of
qualitative descriptive research aims to critically describe, detail a phenomenon or social situation in
order to find its true meaning. The study will begin by analyzing various data collected by the authors.
The data obtained by the author in this case is a scene from an advertisement that the author
categorizes as showing a representation of environmental issues of marine pollution in the
advertisement "Baruna Sang Guardian of the Ocean" in episodes 1 and 2, besides that in order for the
author to more easily analyze the object, the author will focus more on the signs of marine pollution
in the fish.
Primary data sources are data obtained directly. Research subjects from individuals, groups
and organizations (Ruslan, 2017, p. 29). In this study, the main data used by researchers was data
obtained from advertisements. This research will take the object of Marjan's advertising series
entitled "Baruna Sang Guardian of the Ocean" which shows an overview of environmental issues in
the form of marine pollution. In this study, the data source came from the advertisement "Baruna
Sang Guardian of the Ocean" which aired on Marjan Boudoin's official YouTube social media by taking
2 episodes, each of which lasted 1 minute 1 second Secondary data in this study used literature
research to support findings by reading, researching, and analyzing documents and data sources
contained in books, Internet, scientific papers, and other publications such as previous papers and
journalsData collection techniques are techniques or ways used in research to collect data. Data
collection is an important part of conducting research to solve problem formulations. There are
several data collection methods, namely: tests, observations, interviews, study of documents and
artifacts, photos and videos or a combination of these methods (Ghony & Almanshur, 2017, p. 164). The
data collection techniques used to collect data in this study are documents and observations as
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follows: The observation referred to in this study is by seeing and observing scenes from the two
series of "Baruna Sang Guardian of the Ocean" Ads on Marjan Boudoin's YouTube, which are then
recorded, selected and analyzed according to the research methods used in order to get points of
representation of environmental issues contained in the advertisement. As research supporting data,
documentation methods are obtained by tracing various types of data relevant to the advertisement
"Baruna Sang Guardian of the Ocean" which can be accessed from online media and social media as
well as various data on environmental issues of marine pollution, this aims to allow the author to
analyze the representation of environmental issues contained in the advertisement. This semiotic
analysis technique is used to be able to understand the representation of environmental issues in the
form of symbols in each scene in the "Baruna Sang Guardian of the Ocean" clan on YouTube which
will later be compiled into the meaning of messages or information that will provide results and
conclusions. Charles Sanders Pierce's semiotics was chosen because it was considered the most
suitable for analyzing the representation of environmental issues in the form of marine pollution in
the selected advertising object with his proposed method, namely the semiotic / triadic triangle which
has 3 elements in the form of Representation / sign consisting of (Qualisign, Sinsign, Legisign), Objects
consisting of (Icons, Indexes, Symbols) and Interpretations consisting of (Rheme, dicisign, argument).
3. Result and Discussion
Analysis of Environmental Issues Representation in Marjan Baruna the Ocean Guard Ad
Environmental issues are negative impacts caused by activities that humans do daily on the
environment, this negative impact on the environment is believed to reduce the quality of life of
ecosystems on earth, ranging from humans, animals, plants and the environment where we live. There
are many environmental problems that are classified as environmental issues, one of which is marine
pollution.
Careful and wise ecosystem management is needed to maintain the environment, by fully
realizing the various environmental issues that are already present and the negative impacts caused
by the activities that humans carry out on the environment, as featured in this 2023 Marjan ad series
with the title "Baruna Sang Guardian of the Ocean" which shows a representation of environmental
issues classified as marine pollution.
Ads worked on by PT. Lasallefood tries to invite people to protect the marine environment by
showing the amount of garbage in the ocean caused by human activities. According to the author's
observations, it was found that there are several scenes in the advertisement "Baruna Sang Guardian
of the Ocean" that show the representation of environmental issues in the form of marine pollution,
this is emphasized through the footage and narrative shown. Based on the definition of marine
pollution according to the Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental
Protection (GESAMP), namely:
A. The entry of living things, substances, energy, and/or other components into the marine
environment that have a negative impact on biological resources
Pollution of the marine environment means the direct or indirect inclusion by humans,
materials or energy into the marine environment that result in or may bring adverse effects such as
damage to marine biodiversity and marine life, as well as harm to human health. Garbage pollution in
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the sea can come from several waste factors, such as plastic waste, wood waste, metal waste, waste
from organic matter, and there are many other garbage that can pollute the sea.
Sign
Photo 1 Sea Dragon That Belongs to Garbage
Seconds to 
a. Qualisign, In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Color: The color
of the dragon's eyes that are yellow and orange like a burning fire symbolizes the anger
and passionate emotions of the dragon when seeing garbage, the sea that is scattered with
dark grayish black and minimal sun or white light penetrating shows that this dragon is
in the deep ocean with minimal sunlight which shows that a lot of garbage in the sea has
reached the ocean deep. The clear color used for the depiction of waste also shows that
the majority of waste in the ocean is plastic waste
b. Sinsign, Align with one of the elements of advertising, namely Movement: His movement
that opens his mouth will want to breathe fire accompanied by a growl showing that this
dragon is angry when he sees the expanse of garbage that fills his habitat plus when the
dragon opens its mouth, garbage begins to be attracted into its mouth, which of course
these plastic waste cannot be digested
c. Legisign, In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Heard word and
sound effect: The narration and subtitle "garbage raises a figure who becomes a disaster"
with a background of music and a gripping narrative voice illustrates that garbage and
pollution in the sea have worsened and must be taken seriously and addressed because,
Gradually the garbage thrown into the sea will be a disaster for the marine ecosystem and
marine resources themselves as the narrative shows that garbage will awaken a figure
who becomes a disaster, the phrase "figure" here not only refers to the sea dragon as one
of the inhabitants of the sea, but can also refer to other marine life that often consumes
waste that is mistaken for food and will certainly bring disease to the biota itself and other
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biota because Biota that die of garbage will decompose harmful substances, therefore this
narrative emphasizes that if we continue to pollute the sea, the garbage in the sea will
generate disasters for marine life such as toxic contamination
Object
a. In line with the advertising elements that are Picture: in this scene using the Big Close-up
image technique, this shot is taken from the top of the head to the chin of the object where
this shot aims to highlight the expression of the object that shows the emotions of the
dragon and trash that is clearly visible floating in the open ocean
b. Index (causal relationship), in the scene above shows the dragon's anger caused by a lot
of garbage that disturbs the habitat and swimming activities such as foraging for dragon
figures which are representations of marine life affected by marine pollution,
c. Symbol (formed by mutual agreement). The fire animation in the eyes of the dragon's
eyes is a symbol that symbolizes the feeling of emotion, anger and courage of the dragon
to defend its environmental habitat from garbage
Interpretant
a. 








b.            
       


c. 
            



e-ISSN: 2723-6692 🕮 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 675
Sign
Picture 2 of the already polluted oceans
seconds to 0:07-0:09 (Episode 2)
a. Qualisign, In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Color: The
grayish-black color of the ocean explains that in this scene the dragon is in the deep ocean,
besides that the color of the dragon which also does not have a bright color and tends to
be dark indicates that the dragon lives in the deep ocean which is slightly exposed to
sunlight. This means that the garbage has entered the deep ocean and not only on the
surface, the white color of the garbage in the scene shows that plastic waste dominates
pollution in the sea because although plastic waste has a variety of colors, if it has entered
the waters, the dye from the plastic will fade and even disappear leaving the original
plastic color
b. In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Movement: The dragon
swimming from a distance slowly opens its mouth and accompanied by growls and the
look in its eyes that suddenly turn yellow to orange and like fiery when approaching
garbage shows great dislike and anger towards the garbage that fills the ocean as a place
of life
c. Legisign, In line with one of the elements of advertising, namely Heard word and sound
effect: The background music and suspenseful narrative by mentioning that "disaster is
coming again" shows that plastic waste in the ocean and marine pollution that continues
to be done must be stopped immediately and requires serious action and real handling
because otherwise disasters such as garbage contamination in waters will continue to
exist for example The negative impact on marine life that brings disaster to ecosystems
in the ocean and life on land because of toxins from plastic waste contamination in the
sea
Object
a. Icon, In line with the advertising elements i.e. Picture: In this scene using the Extream
Long Shoot shooting technique, shooting which has very wide or wide dimensions.
Usually to show a location or scenery around so as to provide information to the audience
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 🕮 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 676
about what kind of environment is in an advertisement. With the aim of showing dragon
objects and garbage in the sea and the correlation between the two which shows the
dragon's dislike for its habitat which is increasingly polluted and filled with garbage
b. Index (causal relationship), in the scene above shows the dragon's anger caused by the
ocean or the living place of the dragon which is filled with plastic waste which indirectly
makes the dragon live and swim uncomfortably because of the lot of garbage in the sea
c. Symbols (formed by mutual agreement), the look in the eyes that are yellow to orange
like the color of fire indicates the feelings of anger and emotion of the dragon
Interpretant
a. 



           



            
               

b.           
             
           


c. 


  



B. Human activities that dump garbage into the sea directly or indirectly resulting in adverse
effects on human health
Marine pollution by garbage that causes damage to ecosystems and marine life by waste from
human life activities. Garbage pollution can come from garbage produced by humans that is thrown
into rivers which then flow into the sea or human activities that directly throw garbage into the sea
in other words seawater pollution that cannot be avoided by human waste, namely garbage produced
by humans.
Sign
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 🕮 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 677
Picture 3 of children throwing garbage into the sea
Seconds 0:09-0:11 (Episode 1)
a. Qualisign, In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Colour: The
distinctive exotic brown skin color shows that the two young children who throw garbage
are indigenous people living around the coast, this scene shows that these children lack
education to protect their own living environment which can arise because the behavior
shown by adults who also live in the coastal area is finally modeled by those children.
b. In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Movement: In this scene,
two boys are seen sitting casually on the edge of the pier and then one of the children
throws plastic bottle waste directly into the ocean area with a flat expression without
showing a guilty expression, this shows that the lack of education about safeguarding and
preserving the marine environment to the younger generation, This is also evidenced by
one of the characters of the child in the scene above who doesn't even prevent or tell the
right thing and instead lets his friend throw garbage into the sea as if it were a common
thing and is used to both of them.
c. Legisign, In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Heard word and
sound effect: The tense background music accompanied by the narration of "feeling the
sea is getting polluted" shows that the actions of the two children who throw garbage into
the sea in the scene illustrate the condition of marine pollution which will later get worse
due to garbage disposal activities into the sea which causes the ocean to be more polluted.
Object
a. Icon, In line with the advertising elements i.e. Picture: In this scene using the Medium
Long Shoot shooting technique, this shot is used to enrich the image displayed where the
shot is closer to the viewer but still shows the body language of the object which shows a
lack of education in children who do not protect the environment by throwing garbage
out of place.
b. The index (causal relationship), in the scene above shows a lot of plastic waste in the sea
and the soaring rate of marine pollution caused by human actions and behaviors that are
not only adults but also children who do not protect the environment by directly
throwing waste used for daily necessities into the ocean
c. Symbols (formed by mutual agreement), children are symbolized as hope, future and
successor of the nation, in this scene Marjan's ad wants to illustrate if children who
notabe as successors in the future alone cannot protect the environment well from an
early age, it cannot be avoided again in the next few years pollution in the sea will be a
disaster that will be very detrimental globally, In addition, this scene also indirectly
emphasizes that not only adults need awareness of protecting the environment but
children must also be taught to maintain, protect and love the marine environment as one
of the resources and life support for mankind
Interpretant
a. 
             


e-ISSN: 2723-6692 🕮 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 678

            
            



             

   




b.      





c. 
            
            

              

Sign
Picture 4 of crew dumping garbage into the sea
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 🕮 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 679
Seconds 0:16-0:18 (Episode 1)
a. Qualisign, In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Colour: The color
of the ocean depicted cloudy against the background of cloudy weather and grayish
clouds and lighting that is not too bright depicts a gloomy living environment if we cannot
coexist and maintain the marine environment properly and correctly.
b. Sinsign, In line with one of the elements of advertising, namely Movement: In the scene,
the crew of a fishing boat commonly called a fisherman can be seen looking towards the
sea while holding an empty jirigen used which then the fisherman throws the jirigen
garbage into the marine environment directly and without hesitation, this shows 







c. Legisign, In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Heard word and
sound effect: The tense background music that indicates a precarious situation when
throwing garbage into the sea, as well as relaxed body language when throwing jirigen
garbage into the sea shows that it has become a habit or habit of the fisherman,
Therefore, the gestures (body language) shown when carrying out pollution activities
look very relaxed.
Object
a. Icon, In line with the advertising elements that are Picture: In the scene above using the
Medium Close Up shooting technique, this shot was taken from the top of the head to the
chest, the purpose of shooting like this is so that the background can still be enjoyed by
the audience and provide a clear view to show the indifferent behavior of fishermen who
throw jerry cans into the sea.
b. The index (causal relationship), based on the scene above shows another reason why
pollution in the sea is getting worse caused by the lack of awareness of fishermen to
protect the sea which results in marine pollution is still difficult to overcome considering
that fishermen who depend on income in the ocean and are likened to living close to the
sea do not want to preserve the ocean itself and prioritize the nature of underestimating
the waste thrown into the sea. The sea, although the amount of waste disposed of is small,
in fact even one garbage has an impact on the marine ecosystem
c. Symbols (formed by mutual agreement), cloudy atmosphere background and tend to be
colored to gray symbolize sadness and gloomy situations, this is certainly in accordance
with the behavior shown by fishermen who throw jerry cans into the sea which shows
how sad and gloomy the actions of people who do not have self-awareness to participate
in protecting the marine environment as one of the sources of life support that humans
should live side by side with nature, but in fact the decline in the quality of the aquatic
environment still continues to occur due to irresponsible hands.
Interpretant
a. 




      





b. 
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 🕮 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 680

            




c.  
  



C. The marine environment is no longer in accordance with its function which causes a
decrease in quality for water use






Sign
Photo 4.5 Newly Dumped Plastic Bottles Into the Sea

 
             
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 🕮 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 681


 




 




Object
 



 
             

 





Interpretant
a. 

   






               



        
            

b.          

 


c. 
            





e-ISSN: 2723-6692 🕮 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 682
Sign
Figure 6 The Amount of Garbage in the Sea
Seconds to 0:07-0:09 (Episode 1)
a. Qualisign, In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Colour: The
dominant dark blue color with white light coming from the sun penetrating the surface
of the water shows that this scene depicts the atmosphere below the surface of the upper
sea which is also filled with plastic waste ranging from food wrappers, drink bottles and
jerry cans thrown by fishermen and children living on the coast
b. Sinsign, In line with one of the elements of advertising, namely the Movement: Plastic
waste tossing in the ocean shows that the majority of waste in the ocean comes from
plastic waste that ends up in the sea either directly or indirectly entered by humans,
because plastic waste in the sea can also come from rivers
c. Legisign, In line with one of the elements of the advertisement, namely Heard word and
sound effect: The tense background music coupled with the narrative of "feeling the sea
getting polluted" shows that Marjan's ad tries to educate and inform its audience to
always protect the marine environment considering that marine pollution is still
occurring and getting worse
Object
a. In line with the advertising elements that are Picture: this scene uses the Extream Long
Shoot shooting technique, which has very wide or wide dimensions. With the aim of
showing the condition of the ocean or scenery around so as to provide information to the
audience about what kind of environment is in the ad.
b. Index (causal relationship), based on the scene above shows that ocean pollution is
getting worse caused by people who still continue to throw garbage into the sea or into
rivers without considering the consequences of bad garbage if it enters the marine
environment.
c. Symbol (formed by mutual agreement), The gradation of black which is synonymous with
the meaning of death and misfortune and light blue color with white color from sunlight
that penetrates the water, to the black part that is not affected by light at all illustrates
that half of the ocean is like a dead sea because of the high level of pollution from a lot of
garbage in the sea, The ocean depicted half bright which signifies hope and half dark
shows if we can still improve the condition of the marine environment and restore it or
vice versa by continuing to pollute and worsen the condition of the sea
Interpretant
a. 

            



              

e-ISSN: 2723-6692 🕮 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No.4, April 2024 683



b.          
               
            


c. 
            




The Marjan syrup advertisement series "Baruna the Ocean Guard" in its first and second
episodes attempts to address the issue of marine pollution through a semiotic analysis following
Charles Sanders Peirce's framework. The ads depict the detrimental effects of marine pollution on
biological resources, exemplifying real cases of environmental degradation in Indonesia and globally.
By showcasing marine life affected by plastic waste consumption, the ads underscore the impact on
ecosystems and human health. Moreover, they highlight the consequences of continued pollution,
such as the degradation of seawater quality and its implications for various sectors like tourism and
agriculture. PT. Lasallefood's incorporation of environmental communication into their advertising
reflects a corporate social responsibility initiative, aiming to raise awareness about plastic waste
emergencies in the ocean. This shift in focus towards addressing significant environmental issues
indicates a more serious approach compared to previous cultural and normative approaches. This
effort aligns with the alarming statistics of plastic pollution in the world's oceans, where Indonesia
ranks as one of the top contributors. The ads not only emphasize the threats to marine life but also
underscore the broader impact on human health and the economy (Mutia, 2022).
Not only in terms of CSR environmental communication as a corporate responsibility, this ad
also certainly also shows a representation approach related to marine pollution with the aim of
educating the public to better protect the environment, Hall stated that there are three approaches
used in representation, including:
1. The reflective approach comes first. According to this approach, language serves as a
reflection or mirror of the original meaning of social reality. The reflective approach
highlights how much meaning depends on the physical presence of things like people,
ideas, and events.
For example, in the scene of the dragon getting angry and finally burning down residential areas
caused by the impact of the activities of coastal village children who pollute the marine environment
by throwing plastic bottle waste into the marine environment as the home of the dragon which
explains that pollution activities in the sea are not only a disaster for the marine ecosystem but will
also be a disaster and have a detrimental impact on humans, In addition, the scene of Naga destroying
fishing boats and disrupting the activities of fishermen looking for fish because of the activities of
fishermen who throw used jerry cans used for ship needs into the sea as a result of garbage disposal
carried out by fishermen. Which shows a reflection that the good or bad deeds to nature that we do
will later return to ourselves
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2. The second approach is intentional. Language is used intentionally to convey ideas based
on our perspective. Information is communicated orally or in writing by the speaker,
which gives special meaning to its intended use.
For example, the narrative conveyed related to pollution such as "garbage raises a figure who
becomes a disaster", "feels increasingly polluted" accompanied by scenes of fishermen and coastal
village communities throwing plastic waste into the sea area, then footage of the marine environment
filled with plastic waste and dragons eaten by plastic waste in the sea, which shows information
related to marine pollution in this advertisement is communicated orally by PT. Lasallefood which
gives special meaning related to pollution of the marine environment by using certain scenes, footage
and narratives related to the ocean that is increasingly polluted and will be a disaster for human life.
3. The constructivist approach is the third. This method emphasizes social and linguistic
characteristics that allow the constructivist to participate in the process of making
meaning, that the speaker and writer, choose and assign meaning in the message or work
(objects) that he creates.
For example, in the scene depicting children and adults throwing garbage into the sea which
explains that PT. Lasallefood wants to insert meaning related to pollution actors regardless of age and
lack of individual awareness to protect the marine environment, as if polluting has become a culture
that cannot be separated by daily human activities. Furthermore, the scene of sea dragons being eaten
by garbage that explains the meaning related to marine life is the one that loses the most due to
garbage pollution in the sea. Finally, the footage of the ocean, the surface and the inside filled with
garbage that explains the meaning related to pollution in the form of marine debris has not been
overcome and is still ongoing today (Chaturvedi et al., 2020).
In essence, the media plays a role in the dissemination of information as well as can shape
audience perception so that it can be done through mass media such as newspapers, radio, and TV as
well as social media such as YouTube, Tiktok and Instagram where people can find out what is
happening around them and elsewhere. Therefore, the media provides adequate information space
for environmental issues through environmental communication deserves our appreciation. If the
media diligently displays and disseminates information that is able to build concern for the
environment, it is hoped that the community will have insight and awareness to protect and preserve
the environment.
4. Conclusion
Through the concept of environmental communication, it can be seen that PT. Lasallefood as
the creator of the 2023 marjan advertisement wants to inform and educate the public regarding the
emergency of plastic waste in Indonesia's seas, which is shown by footage of plastic waste in the form
of jerry cans, crackles and mineral water bottles. In this 2023 marjan ad, we also find the approach
used in the first reflective representation which shows a reflection of social reality that the good or
bad deeds to nature that we do will later return to ourselves, then the intentional approach with a
narrative that shows information related to marine pollution in this ad is communicated verbally
which gives special meaning related to the ocean which is increasingly polluted and will be a disaster
for human life later, then the constructivist approach in the form of scenes of children and adults
throwing garbage into the sea which explains the meaning of pollution actors regardless of age and
lack of individual awareness to protect the marine environment, Next is the scene of sea dragons
being eaten by garbage which explains the meaning related to marine life is the most detrimental due
to garbage pollution in the sea, Finally, the footage of the ocean, the surface and the inside filled with
garbage that explains the meaning related to pollution in the form of marine debris has not been
overcome and is still ongoing today
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Based on 6 scenes in the Marjan Baruna the Ocean Guard ad in episodes 1 and 2 which have
been analyzed using Charles Sanders Perirce's Semiotics analysis, we can see that the Marjan Baruna
the Ocean Guard Ad tries to represent 3 aspects broadly related to environmental issues of marine
pollution, the first is the act of marine pollution represented by adult characters who are fishermen
and children as coastal villagers who throw garbage Marine plastic, the second impact of plastic
pollution on the marine environment represented by the inner ocean and surface that has been filled
with plastic waste, the last impact of marine pollution that is happening to marine life represented by
the figure of the dragon as marine life affected by marine pollution in the form of being eaten by plastic
waste.
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