<![CDATA[Indonesia, with one of the highest Gender Inequality Index scores in ASEAN, provides a compelling context for examining how audiences respond to progressive brand messaging. This study investigates the reception of Heinz ABC Indonesia’s “Suami Sejati Masak” campaign, which promotes the idea that domestic work can also be performed by men. Using a qualitative constructivist approach, this research analyzed 25 YouTube comments posted between March 2020 and July 2021, applying Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding framework to identify dominant, negotiated, and oppositional readings. The findings show that dominant readings were the most prevalent, indicating acceptance of gender equality messages in domestic roles, while negotiated and oppositional readings highlighted skepticism toward the realism of the campaign and the persistence of patriarchal values. Theoretically, this study extends reception analysis into the domain of digital platforms by demonstrating how online comment sections can serve as spaces of meaning-making and cultural negotiation. Practically, the findings reveal how brand campaigns may function not only as marketing strategies but also as interventions in challenging traditional gender norms. This research thus contributes to media and communication studies by illustrating the dual role of advertising in both reflecting and shaping social values.]]>
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