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Article published In: Journal of Asian Pacific Communication
Vol. 35:1 (2025) ► pp.29–57

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Barthes meets vlogging

A semiotic analysis of a top Filipino influencer’s videos

 | La Salle Green Hills
 | Polytechnic University of the Philippines
 | De La Salle University
 | Waseda University
Published online: 31 July 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/japc.00115.jos
Abstract
This article applies Roland Barthes’ semiology in analyzing the content of the 15 most popular vlogs by Cong TV, a top Filipino vlogger. Using Barthes’ framework, the study uncovers hidden myths and ideological discourses embedded in Cong TV’s works that often reinforce the perspectives of the ruling class, whether consciously or unconsciously. The analysis identifies rhetorical strategies, including identification, erasure of history, inoculation, and intertextuality, while also identifying beneficiaries and victims within these narratives. The findings show the subtle ways in which humor and relatable content perpetuate social inequalities, discrimination, and colonial mentalities. The study highlights the significant role influencers play in shaping societal norms and calls for greater awareness and responsibility among content creators. It challenges the audience and scholars alike to scrutinize seemingly harmless content for deeper, often overlooked, cultural implications.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Literature review
    • Semiotics and communication
    • Authenticity in digital media
    • Performativity in digital media
  • The Barthesian semiology
  • Locating the place of Cong TV in the social hierarchy of the Philippines
  • Methodology
  • Results and discussion
    • I.Team Payaman (Team Wealthy) as cultural icon: Performing wealth, insensitivity, and influence
      • The enablers
    • II.Cong TV’s Symbolic Power: Leadership, Bourgeois Fantasy, and Social Hierarchies
      • The Boss Cong
    • III.Reinforcing gender and LGBTQIA+ stereotypes
      • Homophobia and patriarchy in comedy
    • IV.The Postcolonial Specter: Language, Religion, and the Myth of the ‘Adopted’ Filipino
      • Linguistic hierarchies
      • Cultural alienation and beauty standards
        • Ampon (Adopted)
        • Relihiyoso (Religiosity)
    • V.Pinoybaiting and manufactured resilience
    • VI.Mga Baliw: Madness as spectacle and metaphor
      • Stigmatizing mental health
  • Conclusion
  • References
References (34)
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