Representasi Kecantikan Dalam Iklan Forever on Play Somethinc di Instagram

Abstract

This study examines the paradox within the marketing communication of modern local beauty brands in Indonesia, focusing on Somethinc’s “Forever on Play” campaign on Instagram. Amid widespread discourses of inclusivity and self-love, Somethinc visually reproduces hegemonic beauty standards through conventional aesthetic codes. The tension between a progressive brand image and conservative representational practices is analyzed using a qualitative approach grounded in Roland Barthes’ semiotic framework. The analysis is conducted across three levels of meaning: denotation, connotation, and myth. The findings reveal that beneath the dynamic and inclusive imagery, the advertisement constructs ideological myths that naturalize beauty as a product of technology, empowerment as aesthetic performance, and confidence as a purchasable commodity. The visual language also draws heavily on the “Asian Beauty Standard” to reinforce these messages. This study argues that Somethinc does not merely perpetuate existing beauty norms but merges progressive rhetoric with conservative visuals in a hybrid communication strategy. This reflects a new form of ideological marketing in the digital age, where emancipatory values are selectively adapted to align with consumerist interests.