An Analysis of Signs on Netflix Documentary Posters

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the meaning of verbal and non-verbal signs found on Netflix documentary posters. A descriptive qualitative method was employed to collect and analyze the data, drawing on Saussure’s theory in Chandler (2007) regarding semiotics, Barthes' (1964) theory of connotation and denotation, and Wierzbicka's (1996) theory of color meaning. This study followed several steps, including searching on Netflix for documentaries that were used as data sources, selecting the most popular documentaries, downloading the official posters on IMDb sites, identifying and taking notes on all the information about verbal and non-verbal signs that appeared in the posters, and finally classifying the data based on the category of signs. The study's results showed a total of 13 verbal signs and 9 non-verbal signs found in two posters. Both formal and informal methods were applied to present the results and discussion. Analyzing these signs allowed people to uncover how meaning was intentionally constructed to provoke thought, raise awareness, and influence public perception about societal issues in the world.