A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF VERBAL AND VISUAL SIGNS FOUND IN KITKAT'S POSTER ON INSTAGRAM POSTS

Semiotics is the study of signs and the meaning of symbol and their use in communication. Some of these signs are divided into two namely verbal and visual signs as communication tools. This study focused on the analysis of verbal and visual signs found in KitKat’s poster on Instagram posts. There are two objectives of this study, namely: (1) to find out the verbal and visual signs found in the KitKat poster posted on Instagram. (2) to analyze the meaning of the verbal and visual signs found in the KitKat poster posted on Instagram. The data sources used in this study include several KitKat posters found in Instagram posts with different accounts, themes, events, and objectives. The number of data in the form of KitKat poster posts was uploaded by several Instagram accounts including 10 selected posters. This study used three theories from experts in semiotics. The first theory proposed by Saussure in Chandler (2007) about signifiers and signified. The second theory proposed by Barthes (1967) about meaning. Third, his study used the supporting theory from Wierzbicka (1996). This study concluded that of ten posters there were thirty-four verbal signs in the form of words, phrases, and sentences. On the other hand, there were seventeen visual signs in the form of images, logos, and backgrounds. This study found the analysis of KitKat posters underscores the effective use of verbal and visual signs. The signs and the slogan "Have a break, have a KitKat" convey an emotional connection, while visual elements, including hidden meanings, enhance the overall message.