This dissertation is designed to be a qualitative inquiry into the significance of political advertisements of Pilpres 2004 phase II, which were broadcasted by several television channels in the period of September 14-16, 2004. To analyze the intrinsic merits of political advertisements, as the work of visual art, this inquiry employing the procedure of analysis that originated from Erwin Panofsky�s theory of iconography and iconology.
Images that denoting Islamic culture, were seem to be the vital importance in the Pilpres 2004 presidential candidate advertising. These visual symbols associated with the Islamic religious adherence, individual and social faithfulness. The objective of this kind of representation was to get a maximum acceptability among immeasurable Islamic voters. To persuade people, advertisements of both candidates had been created by using primordial themes. Archetypal images were employed in effort to awaken the collective-dream about the presence of supernatural leaders in the mind of the spectators.
Subiakto Priosoedarsono, as an integrated-professional artist in the field of advertising industry, has created masterpieces in the SBY-JK 2004 presidential campaigns. As a creator, he had been proven to be entangling with subjective elements when he creates advertising works of SBY-JK. His concepts of candidate branding should be assumed as a unique artistic expression, which reflect a syncretism between Islam-Kejawen cultures and the more rational modern branding theories.
Key-words: Image-making, political culture, iconography-iconology.