Literasi Nusantara
Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026): June

Between Education and Marketing: A Semiotic Analysis of Skincare Advertising on TikTok and Instagram

Mohammad Nico Fitriyanto (Prodi Ilmu Komunikasi, Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Trunodjoyo Madura, Bangkalan, Jawa Timur, Indonesia)
Farida Nurul Rahmawati (Trunojoyo University)
Agus Ferdianto (Trunojoyo University)
Aufi Akmil Imami (Trunojoyo University)



Article Info

Publish Date
08 Jun 2026

Abstract

Social media has intensified the circulation of skincare messages that combine health education with product promotion. This study examines how skincare advertising content on TikTok and Instagram constructs meanings of education and marketing through visual, verbal, and audiovisual signs. The study applies a qualitative semiotic approach based on Charles Sanders Peirce's triadic model of sign, object, and interpretant. The research objects are skincare-related advertising and review contents from Instagram @skincarewanita.id and TikTok @hallo.manis, selected purposively because they display product comparison, recommendation, and educational claims. Data were collected through content observation, screenshot documentation, caption analysis, and audience-comment reading. The results show that Instagram tends to construct skincare messages through static visual comparison, carousel narratives, product labels, and concise claim texts, whereas TikTok builds persuasion through creator performance, spoken testimony, trending audio, facial expression, and fast-paced editing. Both platforms use educational signs such as ingredient explanations, skin-type categories, and usage tips; however, these signs often operate simultaneously as promotional cues that direct audiences toward particular products. The study concludes that the meaning of skincare education in social media advertising is not neutral, because it is shaped by persuasive commercial codes, influencer credibility, and platform-specific forms of attention.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

literasinusantara

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Chemistry Computer Science & IT Control & Systems Engineering Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management Earth & Planetary Sciences Education Energy Engineering Environmental Science Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Library & Information Science Mathematics Neuroscience Physics Social Sciences Other

Description

Literasi Nusantara invites contributions of original and novel fundamental research. Literasi Nusantara publishes scientific study/ research papers, industrial problem solving related to education, arts, and technology as well as review papers. The journal presents paper dealing with the topic ...