A SEMIOTICS ANALYSIS OF DRIPSNDROPS DYNAMIC IDENTITY

• Main Author: Sobi Mutohari, A
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/46670
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Product not only consumed by their function; symbolic aspect usually plays vital role especially in branded goods. The symbolic aspect in product usually generated from brand meaning which represented by brand’s visual identity. The central of visual identity is the logo. Logo is a brand signifier. Thus, logo particularly and brand identity generally generates the meaning of branded goods. The urge to design relevant brand identity increased in competitive market. Dripsndrops is a streetwear brand based in Bandung which known as increasingly competitive clothing and distribution outlet market. Dripsndrops presents a constant changing logo, which mean Dripsndrops implement dynamic identity. The dynamic identity raised question about the relation of the constant changing logo as brand signifier and the brand itself as signified. Moreover, Dripsndrops competing in increasingly competitive casual-streetwear market, this problem raised question about how the Dripsndrops’ construct the brand meaning in the market. This study questioned how the Dripsndrops logos and products’ graphic designs signs structures generate messages and meanings. This study furthermore questioned how the Dripsndrops logo and products’ graphic designs connotations constructed the brand connotations. This study conducted text analysis method and integrated Saussurean-Barthesian semiotics to investigate the problems. Barthes’ second order semiotic chosen as it close to arts and humanities tradition. Logo and graphic designs in this sense seen as humans’ culture which allowed symbolic consumption occur. Barthes’ concept such as myth and ideology are useful tools for analyzing the brand identities objects as cultural texts. Moreover, Barthes himself extended Saussure’s structural semiotics field. Therefore, the extended Saussure langue-parole theory can be implemented as tandem, without opposing Barthes’ semiotics to examine brand identity which both system (langue) and action (parole). iv This study found that Dripsndrops signs structure has two order semiological system: denotative and connotative. Dripsndrops logo generate denoted brand meaning by relaying “Dripsndrops” meaning to the logogram in logogram-logotype syntagma. Dripsndrops logo are not ruled by shape and colors system, but formula. Dripsndrops signified single denoted brand meaning by plural logo, the plural logo generates various connoted image meanings. Dripsndrops constructed graffiti as brand myth, the graffiti myh generates some connotations such as informality, youth, resistance, freedom and others. Graffiti myth came from graffiti subculture vandalism ideology. Furthermore, this study concluded Dripsndrops as postmodern brand identity. Dripsndrops dynamic identity redefined the signification subsystem of modern brand identity, deconstructing the brand code and counterfeit code binary opposition, free play of brand signifier, action domination, and consists of fragments that contradict each other such as positive-negative meaning, parody graphic design that instead of creating new identity; the identity itself is a collage of past images, and sign value that contradict the exchange value. Overall, we conclude that brand identity is a dynamic concept which continuously change over time; from modern to postmodern.