Makna Kicimpring dalam Sinetron Preman Pensiun Season 1-4

Abstract

This research is aimed to explore the meaning of a "kicimpring" snack in a soap opera that airs on a private television channel. At first glance, "kicimpring" seems trivial and only acts as a sweetener on the television screen. Even though far from that, kicimpring is a big theme of the storyline that directs the players to portray certain characters. Kicimpring is inherent in the middle to lower class society, therefore the problems and complexity of life also color the development of this kicimpring business. This study used a qualitative method with Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis to explore the meaning of Kicimpring in denotation and connotation along with the socio-economic context contained therein. The results show that kicimpring has a different connotation, namely as a way of hijrah, something that can make someone being humble , a strong everlasting business, something that can lift someone's dignity, something that strengthens kinship, builds a winning mentality and togetherness, and business that must be run in a lawful manner. Meanwhile, from the socio-economic context, kicimpring serves as consumption for the lower middle class and becomes a business for the upper class. Kicimpring can be a motor in advancing community's economy which can be able to minimize the number of unemployed. However, the current multiplatform-based marketing strategy and production processing with various variants must be rethought.