Comparing Evaluative Strategies in Indonesian Halal Cosmetic Ads on TV vs. YouTube

Abstract

This study investigates the evaluative strategies employed in Indonesian halal cosmetic advertisements across two contrasting media platforms: television and YouTube. Drawing on Appraisal Theory within the framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics, the research explores how affective, judgmental, and engagement-based language constructs religious authority, consumer trust, and moral alignment in promotional discourse. A custom-compiled corpus of 20 advertisements from two major brands—Wardah and Safi—serves as the empirical base, enabling comparative analysis of tone, voice, and rhetorical technique.

Findings reveal that television ads prioritize institutional credibility and declarative judgment, often invoking religious certification and expert authority. In contrast, YouTube content emphasizes narrative intimacy, personal experience, and interactive engagement, positioning religious values as part of daily embodied practice. The study concludes that platform-specific affordances shape not only the form but also the cultural function of evaluative language, reflecting dual logics of Islamic branding: one rooted in hierarchy and legitimacy, the other in lifestyle and digital piety.