CRITQUING GLO’S FELIZ NAVIDAD COMMERCIAL USING LAURA MULVEY’S MALE GAZE LENS

Laura Mulvey lens is called the male gaze, she has made us believe many movies and ads often look at women as just object to please men’s eyes so if we were to look at the Feliz Navidad Nigeria Glo Christmas ad using the male gaze, it was quite obvious that the women looked passive that is being looked at, being beautiful, looking like a decoration. In the ad, we see a festive party setting and the men are dressed sharply, nothing too flashy and eye catching but the females were dressed to the top in shimmery dinner dresses. Even the background dancers were wearing glittery dresses and all of this to capture the all attention. Throughout the ad, most of the camera focus is either on the backside of the woman, their legs, dresses and smiles making statements without directly saying anything. Mulvey’s lens would make us ask Is this shot for our pleasure as viewers? Or does she do things herself? This is because it seems the woman is there to look fun, sexy, festive. The man is active, serving and engaging with the group. She remains an aesthetic highlight as usual, just a side piece.In this critique, I’m using Laura Mulvey’s theory to look at Glo Nigeria’s Christmas ad. Mulvey talks about how many films and ads use something called the male gaze , this means that women are often shown in ways that make them objects to be looked at, instead of full people with their own stories. Even though this Glo ad looks like a happy holiday celebration, Mulvey’s theory helps me see how women’s bodies, beauty, and roles are still shown through a lens that favors men’s pleasure and power.

Also, The woman dances and laughs, but the narrative does not give her a separate goal. Rather they make a background character with no story to tell. The ad goal is: have fun, enjoy Glo. But what does she want? The viewer is not shown her internal choice. Instead, she joins the group, smiles. She is part of the set dressing. She is pleasurable to watch, pleasing to the eyes but deep within all, that pleasure is for us, not from her. My thesis is while Glo’s ad appears to cultural pride, and unity, it also uses camera angles, body positioning, and beauty standards that reflect the male gaze. Women in the ad are often displayed for visual pleasure — through their beauty, fashion, and emotional labor  while their individuality and power are limited. This reinforces Mulvey’s idea that media often turns women into objects of desire or decoration, rather than showing them as equal participants. For example, when the camera moves across the party scene, it pauses more often on women’s faces, their dresses, and sometimes even focuses on their full bodies before switching to other shots. You see soft lighting that makes their skin glow, and slow camera movements that give the audience more time to look at them. These shots aren’t accidental. They help create that visual pleasure Mulvey talks about.Even though it’s a family ad, women are positioned in ways that keep their beauty at the center. While the men are often shown laughing, shaking hands, or talking seriously, the women are mostly smiling, gently moving, or standing gracefully. Mulvey would say this is a way of making them passive objects — they are being looked at, while the men are shown as active participants in the scene.Of course, the ad never directly says this. On the surface, it just looks like everyone is happy and beautiful for Christmas. But Mulvey reminds us that the way the camera looks at women tells us a lot about how media views gender roles. In this ad, women’s beauty is shown as part of the celebration, but it also limits their role to looking perfect for others.

Furthermore, Mulvey also explains how women’s bodies are often turned into objects of display. This happens through how they dress, how they’re positioned in scenes, and how the camera moves around them. In the Glo ad, this objectification is done in a way that looks polite and elegant, but it’s still there when you watch closely. The women wear dresses that fit their bodies perfectly — some wear long, flowing gowns, others wear tight dresses that highlight their shape. The fabrics shine under the lights, and the colors pop in every scene. These costumes don’t just show Nigerian fashion; they also serve to make the women visually attractive for the audience. The dresses draw attention to their curves, and the camera makes sure we see it. There’s one scene where the women stand slightly to the side while the men greet each other or lead conversations. The women stand gracefully, smiling softly. This positioning keeps them present but mostly silent. Mulvey says this is part of passive positioning where women are put there to be seen but not to lead the action. Even during the dancing scenes, the women move slowly, swaying their bodies in a controlled and elegant way, while the camera frames their movement carefully. It’s not wild, energetic dancing; instead, it’s beautiful and graceful, made for the camera to enjoy. Men in the ad, however, are shown leading conversations, toasting, or performing music (like King Sunny Ade), which gives the power meaning they are doing something, while women are there to complete the perfect picture. Mulvey would point out that even though the ad looks joyful, the women’s bodies are still being presented more for appearance than power. They are shaped by the camera’s eye to fit into a vision of beauty designed to entertain.

Moreover, One of Mulvey’s biggest ideas is about who controls the gaze — who is looking, and who is being looked at. In most films and ads, men are the ones who look, while women are the ones being looked at. This creates a power imbalance where women are turned into visual objects rather than active characters. In the Glo ad, the way the camera operates still supports this gaze. The camera lingers more on women’s faces, dresses, and bodies than it does on the men. The camera moves softly when showing the women, making sure the audience gets a full view of their beauty. For example, in scenes where the whole family sits around the table, the women are framed sitting upright, with perfect posture, smiling as they serve or chat. The men lean back, laugh, or lead the toasts. The camera often positions us to see the women from the male guests’ point of view placing the viewer in the male perspective that Mulvey describes. Even the performances by the celebrities follow this pattern. While men like King Sunny Ade perform actively, women artists like Simi and Teni are shown both performing and being looked at. Their beautiful outfits and soft movements are as important to the camera as their voices. Mulvey would say this creates  objectification — both for their talent and their appearance. Throughout the ad, women are positioned as part of the beautiful environment — the decorations, the outfits, the lighting — while men are allowed to move, lead, and direct attention. Mulvey would argue that this keeps women in a passive role, no matter how joyful the ad appears.

Finally, After using Laura Mulvey’s lens to watch the Glo ad, I’ve realized that even in something as happy and cultural as a Christmas celebration, the male gaze is still quietly working. The ad shows women as beautiful, caring, and welcoming, but rarely allows them full power or personal stories. Instead, they are positioned for visual pleasure — to make the scene more beautiful and to support others’ comfort.

The camera’s slow movements, careful lighting, and attention to fashion turn women into part of the decoration, while men are allowed more freedom to act, lead, and express themselves. This is exactly what Mulvey describes a system where women exist to be seen, while men exist to do. Mulvey says film gives pleasure in two ways: scopophilia (looking) and narcissistic (identifying). The shots of the woman’s legs and lips invite us to look, maybe enjoy her beauty. This is scopophilia, the looking. Even though the ad celebrates Nigerian culture and brings a sense of warmth, we should still question how women are being shown. Are they fully seen as complex individuals, or are they mostly being admired for how they look and how much joy they bring to others?