Abstract

This study will examine the portrayal of successful men in Gudang Garam International cigarette advertising. Cigarette commercials are permitted under Indonesian regulations as long as they do not depict individuals smoking or the shape of cigarettes. Advertising creatives have been able to create smoking messages without portraying cigarettes. In Indonesia, the situation with cigarettes and tobacco products is ambiguous. On the one hand, the Indonesian government campaigns against smoking's health risks, while tobacco and cigarette manufacturers generate significant state money. This study employs Paul Du Gay's cultural circuit theory as an analytical tool. Cultural circuit theory is an analytical framework for understanding how cultural meanings are generated, distributed, and consumed in society. It outlines the intricate process by which cultural artifacts get significance through a variety of social actions. Semiotics and literary analysis were employed as approaches. The findings revealed that there are four characteristics of a successful man. (1) a lover of adventure (2) a man who is friendly with wild animals (tigers and eagles), (3) possesses a luxurious vehicle, and (4) is ambitious. The audience is shown the representation of Gudang Garam International cigarettes using these four signs. The identification that emerges is that Gudang Garam International cigarettes are popular among guys. Cigarettes are regulated in Indonesia under Law No. 17 of 2023 on Health, and while cigarettes are labeled hazardous to health, the state also collects an excise fee on each cigarette produced.