KUPAS SENI Jurnal Seni dan Pendidikan Seni ISSN 2289-4640 /eISSN 0127-9688 /Vol. 8 No.1 (2020) / (11-19) 11 Visual communication on social media advertisement that influence consumer buying behavior on skin-whitening product Ida Puteri Mahsan Mohd Fauzi Harun Mohd Yusof Zulkefli Muliyati Mat Alim Public Relation Department, Faculty of Art and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia Abstract Social media and beauty brands are a match made in heaven. Consumers are exposed to thousands social media ads specifically beauty brands match which are match made in heaven. Small to big brand are now realizing the importance of social media as requirement in in creating consumer attention as part of their marketing strategy that engender a positive effect on the attitude and sales intention towards the brand. Social media such as Instagram and Facebook ads are cost-effective, faster and better engagement in build brand awareness. Many believes social media ads generated immense exposure and engagement with online potential buyers as repertoire to be connected as a part of their integrated marketing communications strategy. Advertisers utilized the usage of social media with highly-crafted campaigns by telling a story such as reviewing the testimonial about the effectiveness of their product by enhancing the comments and feedback of the customers to reach marketing goals. However, not all the advertised product that purport to lighten the skin are illegal because they are also many unregistered brand that contain chemicals banned with the authority under safety regulations. This could not only cause with the misleading information but the users will easily trapped by the copy or/and visuals image featured in the ads. Desire for white skin that ingrained into the cultural aspects of beauty ideals made most of the consumers or potential buyers just rely solely on the information which is fed by the advertisers. The objective of this research is to discover consumers’ opinion towards persuasiveness a nd believability in social media advertisement. This research is developed by using mixed method in enhancing survey and content analysis. The important of the research is to look at the key factor implied by the marketers in their content ideas of visual communication in attracting the audience and how they motivate the potential buyers in their online purchasing process. Keywords: Visual Communication, Consumer Behavior, Online Advertising, Purchasing Decision, Social Media INTRODUCTION The landscape of advertising is shifting more resources away from traditional advertising in recent years worldwide in favor of new media. The advertising industries always attempt to follow where consumers go especially with the existence of social media whereby is the amount of creative freedom is limitless (Dan Zarrella, 2010) especially when it comes to photos, posts, tutorials, Instastories and everything related to social media. Advertising is applied with the aim of influencing people to think or to act in a particular way or providing information (Jen Green, 2012). No doubt, social media is the best opportunity available for a brand to connect with prospective consumers with low cost as mention by Sisira Neti (2011) but yet they add value to the lives of their potential customer (Meert, 2018). However, these ads mainly offer promises with dubious information that always lookout for opportunities to squeeze cash from vulnerable consumers. The ability of the public to access the Article Info: Received Date: 13 November 2019 Accepted Date: 09 January 2020 Published Date: 10 January 2020 Corresponding Author: idam@utar.edu.my