Brands are everywhere, you are even using a brand’s product to read this! By using semiotic theories, I will be analyzing the brand narratives of two of Indonesia’s competing instant noodles brands, Indomie and Mie Sedaap, using an example of an advertisement (ad) from each brand.
Indomie is Indonesia’s pioneer of instant noodles under the PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk company. It was launched in 1972 and is available in over 100 countries, including Australia and New Zealand among others.
From the chosen Indomie ad shown above, one of its key messages is how it represents Indonesia as a brand and through its products. This is communicated using four of the ad’s many signs shown below.
Figure 1, Indomie Mi Goreng Aceh, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
Indomie Mi Goreng Aceh’s packaging, and part of the brand’s logo, are dominantly deep green in colour, which signify the idea of “halal”—an Arabic word meaning “permissible” in Muslim law—verified by the Halal MUI Certification (the little green circle tucked away on the bottom right corner). Since the people of Indonesia’s Aceh province—and the country in general—are mostly Muslim, it could connote the assurance in people’s minds when consuming the product.
Figure 2, Indomie Mi Goreng Ayam Geprek, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
Colours can show the personality of a product. The red colour of Indomie Mi Goreng Ayam Geprek’s chilli toppings is signified with feeling energized—another key message of the ad’s brand narrative. Therefore, its consumption connotes that its authentically spicy and hot flavours could instantly lift you up when you are feeling down.
Figure 3, traditional vernacular house, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
The traditional vernacular house on Indomie Mi Goreng Aceh’s packaging signifies that it is unique to Indonesia’s Aceh province, just like the product’s flavours. To me, Indomie’s decision to slap it on the packaging connotes that, although it is an instant noodle product, it still acknowledges that Mi Goreng Aceh is typically a homemade meal, and might also claim to be just as authentic in flavour.
Figure 4, lime, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
The squeezing of the lime to top off Indomie Mi Goreng Aceh signifies what real Aceh noodles taste like—typically quite fresh and sour. This could be a way for people to familiarize themselves with this flavour without even having to visit Aceh province itself.
Figure 5.1, Indomie Indonesia website, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
Figure 5.2, Indomie New Zealand website, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
In terms of customization in a cross-cultural context, Figure 5.1 shows the Indonesian ad that welcomes the Muslim’s fasting month, with Indonesia being Indomie’s country-of-origin. Figure 5.2 shows that New Zealand is diverse; featuring a video ad that is inclusive of its actors and refers to countries like Spain, China, USA and France.
Figure 6.1, Indomie Indonesia website, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
Figure 6.2, Indomie New Zealand website, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
What is standardized among both the aforementioned websites is the layout itself, shown in Figures 6.1 and 6.2, as well as the idea of Indomie bringing people together.
Moving on to Mie Sedaap, it is an Indonesian instant noodle brand under the PT Wings Surya company. It was launched in 2003 and is available in some countries, including Malaysia and Nigeria among others.
From the chosen Mie Sedaap ad above, one of its key messages is how it represents South Korea through its Korean Spicy instant noodles series in particular. This is communicated using four of the ad’s many signs shown below.
Figure 7, Mie Sedaap Korean Spicy Soup, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
Mie Sedaap Korean Spicy Soup’s packaging, and part of the brand’s logo, are dominantly red in colour. It can connote excitement, increasing consumers’ compulsion and enthusiasm to buy its products and encouraging spontaneous buying for an Indonesian community that loves anything Korean.
Figure 8, flaming chilli, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
The flaming chilli signifies that this product is extremely spicy and hot, like most Korean foods. It could heal the aches of longing hearts for Koreans living in Indonesia; it serves as a feeling of “home” away from home, as reviewed by one food blogger.
Figure 9, black bowl, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
The black bowl is one that is typically used to serve Korean soups. This could potentially attract those who want to get the full Korean experience of eating a Ramyeon or Korean noodle soup, slurping it until its last drop.
Figure 10, raw egg, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
The raw egg that tops off Mie Sedaap Korean Spicy Soup signifies something that is inherently Korean. It gives consumers an idea to recreate the dish and taste its authentic flavours.
A myth of Mie Sedaap Korean Spicy Soup could be that it is catered more towards Indonesia’s upper class.
https://wingscorp.com/brand-detail/mie-sedaap/
https://www.gentlesupreme.com.my/food
Figure 11.1, Mie Sedaap Indonesia flavours, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
Figure 11.2, Mie Sedaap Malaysia flavours, screenshot by me, 25 March 2022
In terms of customization in a cross-cultural context, Figure 11.1 shows the Indonesian flavours, while Figure 11.2 features the flavours from Malaysia’s famous local delicacy, Nasi Lemak, including crispy chicken and sambal. Both websites standardize the brand’s original flavours.
In conclusion, the similarities between the two brand narratives include both brands’ emphasis on flavour. However, the differences lie more towards their ad’s message; Indomie’s is catered more towards Indonesia and Indonesian flavour, while Mie Sedaap caters more towards South Korea and Korean flavour. Though both brands communicate their messages successfully, I like Indomie’s brand narrative better because the way it is conveyed is a little more sophisticated and creative, promoting and exposing elements of Indonesia that I myself as an Indonesian, am regretfully not too familiar with.
Bibliography:
Aitken, R & Campelo, A 2011, ‘The four Rs of place branding’, Journal of Marketing Management, vol. 27, no. 9-10, pp. 913-933
Dahlén, M, Lange, F & Smith T 2010, ‘Brand Narrative and Relational Management’, Marketing communications: A Brand Narrative Approach, Chichester, UK: Wiley
Danesi, M 2013, ‘Semiotising a product into a brand’, Social Semiotics, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 464-476
Ilmi, S, Pawenang S, Marwati, FS 2020, ‘Pengaruh Choi Siwon sebagai brand ambassador, brand image (citra merek) dan cita rasa terhadap keputusan pembelian Mie Korean Spicy Chicken, Edunomika, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 103-113
Indomie 2021, Isi Semangatmu Bareng Indomie Goreng, YouTube, 18 October, Indomie Indonesia, viewed 25 March 2022, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ys3dAjsFpM>
Indomie Indonesia Website, viewed 25 March 2022, <http://www.indomie.co.id/>
Indomie Global Website, viewed 25 March 2022, <https://www.indomie.com/homepage>
Indomie New Zealand Website, viewed 25 March 2022, <http://indomie.co.nz/>
Mie Sedaap 2021, Mau Korean Spicy Chicken atau Korean Spicy Soup, Mie Sedaap K-Spicy Series #SEDAAPNYAKOREABANGET, YouTube, 2 March, Mie Sedaap Indonesia, viewed 25 March 2022, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSjBoAqvUzs>
Mie Sedaap Indonesia Website, viewed 25 March 2022, <https://wingscorp.com/brand-detail/mie-sedaap/>
Mie Sedaap Malaysia Website, viewed 25 March 2022, <https://www.gentlesupreme.com.my/food>
Natadjaja, L 2007, ‘Analisa elemen grafis desain kemasan Indomie Goreng pasar lokal dan ekspor’, Nirmana, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 20-30
