The Persistence of Traditional Gender Roles in Online Shopping App Advertisement

Abstract

The form of advertisements of Indonesian online shopping apps changes from display products in 2014 to cultural value display in 2017-2018. This study aims to point out the persistence of traditional gender roles in Tokopedia, despite the changing form of the ads. This study used descriptive qualitative method with semiotics approach by Roland Barthes to find the message and myth about gender role in seven Tokopedia ads. The study shows that while the form of ads have turned into display of cultural values, the rules of gender roles used in the ads remain the same. Even though women in ads are portrayed with the freedom of choice, they remain constrained b y beauty myths and norms of society that keep them in second position as subdivision, passive, and consumptive, while men are superior, active, and productive. Although Tokopedia ads have begun to act as a field of business and turn shopping concept from passive consumptive to active productive, users must still shop first as a way to find self-identity, matching business, or ideals. It means the ads forever remains as it is, a public incentive tool to buy something for profit but not to contribute to changes in the norms of society, especially as feminism movement.