p–ISSN: 2723 – 6609 e-ISSN: 2745-5254
Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 http://jist.publikasiindonesia.id/

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6035

Semiotic Analysis of Rolan Barthes on the Movie Poster "Like
and Share"

Rifda Apriliani Nazwa1*, Indah Wenerda2

Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Indonesia
Email: [email protected]*, [email protected]

*Correspondence

ABSTRACT
Keywords: movie poster,
semiotics, roland barthes,
like and share.

The film Like and Share discusses sexual violence against
women who are still in school and experience a lot of
pressure. The purpose of this study is to examine the visual
semiotics of the Like and Share poster through Roland
Barthes' theory by dissecting the meaning of signs into
denotations, connotations, and myths on the Like and Share
movie poster. Not only looking at the poster from the visual
side but also understanding more deeply the important issues
facing teenagers today. This study uses a qualitative
descriptive method in analyzing and interpreting meaning.
In this analysis, marks can be found on the visual elements
of the poster such as typography, colors, layout, and images
to identify hidden meanings to the audience.

Introduction

A movie poster is an image created to promote a film. Movie posters have a
significant impact on movie fans. Movie posters contain information about the film itself,
such as the film title, cast, release date, credit title, and other elements that can be made
as attractive as possible to give the audience a clear picture of the content of the film. The
information in the poster uses short, concise, and clear words so that it is easy for readers
to understand ( Rahmadani et al., 2022);(Marlen, 2022).

An attractive movie poster design is very important because posters are one of the
main factors in attracting audience interest in watching movies. With an attractive and
creative poster design that can show visual interest and curiosity for the film that will be
shown. In the film industry, posters are used as a visual tool to convey an overview of the
film. Therefore, when creating a movie poster, it is important to consider carefully to
communicate effectively, display a strong identity, and become a meaningful work of art.
According to DeBara: 2018, 6 design principles must be considered in making posters,
namely font, color, title, measurement and blank space, poster size, and graphics. By
paying attention to this design principle, it can create posters that are effective in
conveying messages to the audience. (Umami et al., 2024) (Enjoy Shalekhah et al., 2021)
(Utoyo , 2020).

Rifda Apriliani Nazwa, Indah Wenerda

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6036

Film posters are a significant study to be analyzed using semiotics because the film
is filled with various kinds of signs. With the study of semiotics, it is possible to explain
and understand the purpose behind making posters as promotional media. Signs are a
basic element in the communication process consisting of signifiers and signified which
together form meaning. For example, in the context of movie posters, the images or words
used are signs that convey a message to the audience. Movie posters convey hidden
messages that can be revealed through words and visual symbols. Shalekhah & Martadi,
2021 explained that this visual symbol is depicted through various signs on the poster,
such as color choices, facial expressions, backgrounds, and certain images that represent
the theme and purpose of the film. (Riwu & Anonymous, 2018) (Chaysalina, 2022)
(Umami et al., 2024).

The film Like and Share, which was released in 2022 and directed by Gina S. Noer,
is a drama about two teenage girls named Lisa and Sarah who are in high school. Puberty
makes them curious about sexuality. In this case, it becomes a nightmare and leaves them
trapped in the darkness of the teenage world. They are also food ASMR content creators.

The interesting thing about the Like and Share Film Poster won the 2022 Maya Cup
for the Selected Poster Design category by Alvin Hariz. In addition, it can delve deeper
into issues related to adolescents, social media, and how to relate to visual representation
through poster media. The poster in the movie "Share and Like" has a sign or symbol that
can be interpreted from the choice of color to the properties used in the film and displayed
on the poster can affect the audience's interest. Therefore, the author is interested in
research on the "Like and Share" movie poster which is used as the object of research.
(Wikipedia, n.d.).

This research is supported by previous research that is relevant. The journal written
by title "Representation of Puberty in Adolescent Girls in Turning Red Animated Films"
explains that visual strategies effectively communicate the main conflict in the film,
namely the transition period to adolescence using the analysis of denotations,
connotations, and myths. Overall in his research, the poster visually represents the
transformation.(Nugraha et al., 2021).

The second research written by Roland Barthes under the title "Semiotics of Roland
Barthes in The Space Between Movie Poster" explains how semiotic analysis can be
applied to movie posters and how The Space Between Movie Poster communicates with
the audience about love and long-distance relationships from visual elements such as
layout, typography, and images, besides that the tagline also summarizes the theme of the
film The Space Between. (Umami et al., 2024).

In this study, the main problem is how the visual elements on the poster of the film
"Like and Share" represent adolescent issues using Roland Barthes' theory. Therefore, the
purpose of this study is to reveal the hidden meanings in the movie poster "Like and
Share" using Roland Barthes' analysis tools.

Semiotic Analysis of Rolan Barthes on the Movie Poster "Like and Share"

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6037

Research Methods
In Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis of film posters, his approach is more inclined

to a critical paradigm. A critical paradigm is any social theory that has a purpose and
practical consequences that can affect social change. The critical paradigm serves as one
of the alternatives for seeing and discovering social reality, especially in the context of
communication. (Yasir, 2012).

The method used in this study is qualitative descriptive. Qualitative descriptive is a
type of description to describe and interpret existing phenomena (natural phenomena and
artificial phenomena) This approach aims to explore the meanings contained in the
poster.(Rusandi & Muhammad Rusli, 2021).

This study applies Roland Barthes' semiotic theory approach in analyzing the poster
in the movie "Like and Share". In the world of semiotics, Barthes used the development
of the theory of de Saussure's sign, which is the concept of markers and signs, and then
Roland Barthes developed the theory of denotations, connotations, and myths.

Denotation can be interpreted as the primary or litreral meaning of a word which
usually corresponds to the meaning contained in dictionaries or other literature and this
meaning does not contain any other meaning elements or hidden meanings. While the
connotation expresses a word expression contained in a word or sentence. By reference,
the original meaning is changed in the form of another word and focuses more on
additional meanings that depend on the cultural context, experience, and mass so that the
connotation is a secondary meaning. So, when the connotation becomes dominant in
society, it can become a myth. (Seba & Prihandini, 2021) (Maulidiyah, 2021)

The data collected uses observation, documentation, and literature studies. The
observation technique was carried out by visual observation of the "Like and Share"
movie poster as a whole visual elements to analyze its symbolic meaning, then
documentation was carried out by documenting a poster as research data, and the
Literature Study was divided into primary and secondary data. Primary data from the
Share and Like movie poster while secondary data information collected by researchers
from other reference sources, such as books and journals that have existed before.

In this study, a three-stage data analysis method was used. First, identify markers
and signs ranging from denotations, connotations, and myths. Second, it explains the
meanings of the visual elements of the Like and Share movie poster. Finally, draw
conclusions from the results of the analysis.

Rifda Apriliani Nazwa, Indah Wenerda

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6038

Results and Discussion

Figure 1
Poster Film Like and Share
Source: lpmerspektif.com

Visual Elements
The movie poster "Like and Share" features a full layout with images of the main

characters, title text, production logo, release date, design elements, and player names. In
producing an optimal layout, a designer must understand the role of each element in the
layout. This design element can be visually appealing with powerful images. (Almira
Vasthi et al., 2020) mentioned that there are several aspects in the visual elements of the
poster, namely a good combination of typography, illustrations, colors, and layout. In this
case, it will help convey a clear message and captivate the audience.

The Like and Share movie poster is depicted with a layout that displays images of
the 2 main characters in the poster in a sitting position placed in the middle close enough
to show a flat and tense facial expression because of their slightly stiff body language.
The colors in this poster use bright colors starting from the background on this poster
such as a plain pink wall, the clothes worn are blue and orange depicting cheerful colors
in inverse proportion to their expressions, and the colors in the font are white and pink.

The typography used is a modern font style that is clear and easy to read, used in
the writing of the title of the film is displayed on the lower right edge with a large size,
namely "Like and Share" and the tagline "See, Hear, Feel" with a smaller size using a
simple font style made with the intention of informing something to the public. On the
writing of the names of the players and the date "December 8, 2022" with a slightly larger

Semiotic Analysis of Rolan Barthes on the Movie Poster "Like and Share"

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6039

size placed in the middle between the Starvision Plus logo and Wahana Kreator
Nusantara. Above is displayed the writings of film production houses and directors on the
film like and share.

Other elements are social media icons, microphones, sweet foods on the table, and
mobile phones that are hidden under the table by displaying a person's face screen.
Analysis of Denotations, Connotations, and Myths

In the Like and Share poster to analyze the meaning of denotations, connotations
and myths by using visual elements that can be analyzed with Roland Barthes' semiotics
in the form of tables and descriptive explanations in the form of paragraphs. The elements
contained in the poster have 4 dominating colors, namely:

Figure 2

Poster Color

The Like and Share poster uses pastel colors. Pastel colors are softer colors and
show a funny and cheerful impression according to the characters in the film, namely the
younger generation. In the poster of the movie "Like and Share" which is more dominant
among the others, the color pink is pink. Pink symbolizes feminine or related to women.
The bright colors here are inversely proportional to the dark theme of sexual violence in
this film, thus symbolizing the impression of false innocence that is originally dealing
with serious problems.

Figure 3

Like & Share Movie Poster

Denotation The two women wore pink, blue, and peach shirts with serious
expressions. The microphone is placed between the two. The
woman on the right holds a round candy in the shape of an eye.

Connotation Two characters with serious expressions create a contrasting
effect of something out of sync between the mood and the bright
visual display. A microphone to give voice to those who may
not be heard in voicing their experiences. The round candy in
the shape of an eye symbolizes supervision.

Myth The symbols reveal hidden issues. Such as the encouragement
to give voice to those who are neglected to express themselves

Rifda Apriliani Nazwa, Indah Wenerda

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6040

and voice the issues they face. Although they look free, there is
a feeling of being watched, thus creating a narrative about the
pressures and challenges that young people face behind the fun.
This shows that behind the carefree appearance, there is a
problem they are facing.

The connotations and myths of the poster elements show that many scenes in the

film are related to social media content. Lisa and Sarah have cheerful, energetic, and
ambitious characters to become content creators, but there are many pressures and
challenges in real life that happen to them. By bringing up the microphone used by Lisa
and Sarah in addition to creating food ASMR content with their own characteristics, this
microphone is also used when they dare to voice their hearts or speak up in public about
the incident that happened to Sarah. Sarah's action is indeed not easy for victims of sexual
violence to do. However, do not hesitate to voice the situation, so that you can fight the
clash of sexual violence that befalls it.

Figure 4

Like & Share Movie Poster

Denotation A table full of donuts, cakes, and candy eyeballs.

Connotation Sweet food is a fun thing. Sweet foods such as brightly colored
donuts can symbolize the presence of attraction and seductive
shapes, especially for teenagers.

Myth Sweet foods are often associated with happiness and pleasure.
However, it can have a bad impact if consumed in excess.

In the context of the film, it represents Lisa and Sarah are digitally addicted to

content that is constantly teasing and attracting attention on social media with their ASMR
content, but there are negative impacts that can contain the risk of abuse such as netizens'
comments on their content that fall towards women as sexual objects by saying "sexy lips
are even curious to see others". In addition to creating content, the film scenes also show
Lisa who is addicted to pornography and Sarah is a victim of sexual violence. They hope
for a sweet life, namely free and happy. There is a danger behind things that seem fun and
interesting in the digital world, so it is necessary to be aware of protecting ourselves from
temptation so that we do not fall into behaviors that are detrimental to us.

Semiotic Analysis of Rolan Barthes on the Movie Poster "Like and Share"

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6041

Figure 5

Like & Share Movie Poster

Denotation The phone is held and hidden behind the table by displaying
a picture of the face. On the back of the phone, someone is
wearing leopard-patterned pants.

Connotation Mobile phones have become a symbol that teenagers or
young people are now heavily dependent on technology.

A mobile phone displays a person's face on the screen as if
trapped there, can illustrate how easily a person's personal
image or video becomes public consumption, even without
the owner's knowledge.

The leopard motif shows strength and confidence. In this
case, social media to express yourself.

Myth Mobile phones as a means of communication and social
interaction can be a symbol that today's young generation
depends on technology and their lives are monitored through
screens. This shows that there is duality in the use of
technology. On the one hand, this technology provides
convenience, freedom to share and express yourself. On the
other hand, dependence on mobile phones can be trapped
from a digital image that does not always reflect who they
really are. In addition, social media is a place where a person
loses their privacy. Such as private content, photos or videos
spread without the owner's consent.

The scene in the film shows that the character shown on the phone screen, Fita, is

trapped in negative digital media. In the film, Tokoh Fita is known as an adult film actor,
even though in her real life she wears a hijab and has good behavior. Lisa was curious
about it and found the answer. That the video was spread by her own ex-husband for
revenge without her consent. Cases like this are included in online gender-based violence
(KBGO), this also happened to Sarah. KBOG is a form of violence through social media
platforms where pornographic content is spread and revenge porn exists, the act of

Rifda Apriliani Nazwa, Indah Wenerda

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6042

distributing someone's sexual images or videos without their consent results in trauma
victims (Safitri & Nurlita, 2024).

Figure 6

Like & Share Movie Poster

Denotation The text "Like & Share in the background shows a person's legs in a
sitting position. At the bottom are the small words "SEE, HEAR AND
FEEL".

Connotation The word Like & share reflects the world of social media and the vast
flow of digital information.

The words "SEE, HEAR AND FEEL" refer to the five senses as if
inviting the audience to notice and feel something deeper than just what
they see.

The writing placed below with the background of the sitting leg position
can be interpreted as social media to share information turned into
something negative or destructive, as if degraded which reflects the
phenomenon of bringing bad effects.

Using glitch text effects adds to the impression that something is broken.

Myth Mistakes in the use of social media. This shows information that spreads
quickly and widely without paying attention to the impact of the
information disseminated. There are hidden stories and realities that
must be considered more critically. Social media can turn into a tool for
spreading content that destructs or deviates from its intended path.

Referring to the title and storyline in the movie Like and Share itself, the meaning

of the word Like & share is like and share. What is meant here is when someone likes a
content on social media and enjoys the post then shares it with others which makes the
post visible to more people, both positive and negative content. In the film, Lisa said that
ASMR content is calming and can relieve stress, allowing many people to like their
ASMR content. In addition, mistakes in the use of social media such as photos and videos

Semiotic Analysis of Rolan Barthes on the Movie Poster "Like and Share"

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6043

of sexual violence that occurred to Sarah circulated on social media without paying
attention to the impact that occurred on the victims of harassment. Sarah experienced
trauma, was expelled from school, and experienced psychological violence, namely
suicide attempts for the problems she faced. Gender-based violence includes all acts that
are detrimental, resulting in physical, sexual, and mental suffering including threats to
commit harmful acts, coercion, or other behaviors that restrict a person's freedom. (
LewoLeba et al., 2023)

Conclusion

An analysis of the movie Like and Share poster shows that its visual elements
effectively present the overall storyline of the film. This film tells the story of two
teenagers exploring themselves in the world of adolescence and fighting against sexual
violence trapped in Online Gender-Based Violence (KBOG). In the poster of the film
Like and Share, these youth issues are symbolized through the colors used more
predominantly bright (pink, blue, and peach), modern style typography by using glitch
text effects, layouts, and illustrations related to the digital world to convey a deeper
message about the conflicts faced by teenagers in finding their identity or self-expression.
sexuality, romantic relationships, gadget addiction, and depression. Posters can capture
the characters, atmosphere, and theme of the movie in one attractive visual display to
arouse interest in watching the movie.

Bibliography

Rifda Apriliani Nazwa, Indah Wenerda

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6044

Almira Vasthi, N., Suryani Setiadi, V., Visual Communication Design Studies, P., & Fine Arts
and Design, F. (2020). Proceedings of the 2020 Visual Communication Design Student
Conference 86. https://warnaplus.com/gundala-siap-

Chaysalina, I. (2022). Analysis Of The Movie Poster "The Boys In The Striped Pajamas
(2008)" Uses The Semiotics Of Roland Barthes. 5, 69–76.
http://journal.ubm.ac.id/index.php/titik-imaji/

LewoLeba, K. K., Mulyadi, & Wahyuni, Y. Y. (2023). Women Victims of Online Gender-
Based Violence and Their Legal Protection. Unes Law Review, 6(2), 7082–7096.
https://review-unes.com/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Marlen, R. (2022). The Meaning of Visual Elements in the Poster of the Yuni Film (2021).pdf.

Maulidiyah, M. (2021). The Meaning of Denotation and the Meaning of Connotation in the
Animated Film "Amirotur Ruum" by Hadi Mohammadian: Semiotics of Roland Barthes.
Al-Ma'rifah, 18(2), 151–162. https://doi.org/10.21009/almakrifah.18.02.04

Nikmatus Shalekhah, yun, Design, J., & Language and Art, F. (2021). Analysis Of Roland
Barthes's Semiotics On The Poster Of The British Version Of The Movie Parasite.
Journal of Barik, 2(1), 54–66. https://ejournal.unesa.ac.id/index.php/JDKV/

Nugraha, A. A., Johari, A., & Pratama, G. (2021). Analysis of Turning Red Film Poster in
Roland Barthes' Semiotic Theory A B S T R A K A R T I C L E I N F O.
https://doi.org/10.17509/finder.v1i1.34056

Rahmadani, I., Atikah, N. N., Pratama, D. A., Dalimunthe, M. A., & Sazali, H. (2022).
Semiotic Analysis of KKN Horror Film Posters in Dancer Village. In Professional
Journal (Vol. 9, Issue 1).

Riwu, A., & Pujiati, T. (2018). Semiotic Analysis of Roland Barthes on the 3 Dara Film.
Deiksis, 10(03), 212. https://doi.org/10.30998/deiksis.v10i03.2809

Rusandi, & Muhammad Rusli. (2021). Designing Basic/Descriptive Qualitative Research and
Case Studies. Al-Ubudiyah: Journal of Islamic Education and Studies, 2(1), 48–60.
https://doi.org/10.55623/au.v2i1.18

Safitri, N. A., & Nurlita, I. (2024). Analysis of Content Regarding Sexual Violence in Like &
Share Films. Journal of PIKMA: Publication of Media and Cinema Communication
Science, 6(2), 458–492. https://doi.org/10.24076/pikma.v6i2.1530

Seba, N. G., & Prihandini, A. (2021). Analyze the meaning of the denotation on the "Offline
Listening" feature in the Spotify app. MAHADAYA: Journal of Language, Literature, and
Culture, 1(2), 161–164. https://doi.org/10.34010/mhd.v1i2.5379

Umami, S., Efendi, E., & Mawwaddah, H. D. (2024). Semiotics of Roland Barthes in the poster
of the film The Space Between. Visual Heritage: Journal of Creative Arts and Culture,
6(3), 436–471.

Semiotic Analysis of Rolan Barthes on the Movie Poster "Like and Share"

Indonesian Journal of Social Technology, Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2024 6045

Utoyo, A. W. (2020). Analysis of Visual Communication on Posters as a Communication
Media to Encourage Social Distance in Jakarta During the Covid 19 Epidemic. LUGAS
Journal of Communication, 4(1), 35–42. https://doi.org/10.31334/lugas.v4i1.939

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Like & Share. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_%26_Share

Yasir. (2012). Critical Communication Paradigm: An Alternative to Communication Science.
Journal of Communication Sciences, 1(1), 1–55.