V-art: Journal of Fine Art
Vol 5, No 2 (2026): June 2026

Aesthetic Analysis of the Public Service Announcement Poster “The Indonesian People Are Not Ashtrays”

Balqis Syafida Arrahmi (Universitas Indo Global Mandiri Palembang)
M. Rizqi Lullah (Universitas Indo Global Mandiri Palembang)
M. Ghathfan Marchsky (Universitas Indo Global Mandiri Palembang)
Larasati Rizkianingrum (Universitas Indo Global Mandiri Palembang)
Siti Naila Chairunnisa (Universitas Indo Global Mandiri Palembang)



Article Info

Publish Date
28 Jun 2026

Abstract

Public service announcement posters, which address public health issues related to cigarette smoke exposure, are examples of visual communication media with strong visual characteristics that serve to raise social awareness and critical thinking in audiences, in addition to conveying information. The purpose of this study is to analyze the application of visual aesthetics and interpret the symbolic meanings and emotional experiences constructed through the poster's visual and verbal elements. This study uses a qualitative descriptive and interpretative approach, grounded in Jakob Sumardjo's aesthetic theory, which considers visual works as symbolic representations of human social and cultural experiences. To analyze the data, visual elements such as composition, color, typography, visual images, and verbal text were studied. The results show that the "Indonesian People Are Not Ashtrays" poster not only conveys a persuasive health message but also provides an aesthetic experience through confrontational visual symbols. This poster instills empathy, a sense of threat, and critical awareness in the audience. According to this study, public service announcements can be considered visual cultural artifacts containing aesthetic values, ethics, and social meaning. By applying an aesthetic approach based on human experience, this study expands the research topic of visual communication design.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

viart

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Education Social Sciences Other

Description

V-art: Journal of Fine Art is an academic journal published by the Department of Fine Art, Faculty of Visual Art and Design, Institut Seni Indonesia Padang Panjang twice a year. This journal publishes original articles with a focus on the results of studies in the field of fine art since November ...