THE SOCIAL NETWORK THROUGH STUART HALL’S ENCODING/ DECODING MODEL REVIEW ASSIGNMENT1

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Feliz Navidad Nigeria! by Glo — A Critical Look Through Laura Mulvey

 

Introduction

Glo’s Feliz Navidad Nigeria! ad is a vibrant, emotional celebration of the holiday season in Nigeria. At first glance, it seems like a harmless, heartwarming message of unity, joy, and cultural pride. But when looked at through the lenses of feminist and cultural theory especially those of Laura Mulvey and bell hooks it becomes clear that even joyful media content carries deeper meanings. Ads don’t just sell products; they also shape how we see gender, identity, and culture. In this piece, I’ll use Mulvey’s concept of the “male gaze”  to explore how the Glo ad sends messages beyond what’s on the surface.

Laura Mulvey’s theory of the “male gaze,” introduced in her well-known 1975 essay Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, is a powerful tool for understanding how women are portrayed in media. She argues that women are often positioned as visual objects for the pleasure of a presumed heterosexual male viewer. According to her, “In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female.” In other words, men are shown doing things, while women are shown to be looked at.

In the Feliz Navidad Nigeria! advert by Glo, we see a colorful display of Christmas traditions, with dancing, cooking, family gatherings, and music. At first glance, the ad seems wholesome and celebratory highlighting Nigerian culture and togetherness during the festive season. However, when examined through Mulvey’s lens, the subtle reinforcement of gendered roles becomes clear. Many of the shots featuring women are focused less on what they are doing and more on how they appear. Their facial expressions, jewelry, traditional clothing, and smiles are framed in soft, glowing visuals. These stylistic choices subtly turn their presence into aesthetic experiences rather than moments of agency. It’s true that none of the shots are overtly sexual or inappropriate, and the ad avoids the typical objectification seen in older commercials. Yet, even within this festive, respectful presentation, Mulvey’s critique still holds weight. The women are mostly performing roles that support the environment of joy dancing gracefully, serving food, or welcoming guests. These are passive roles in the context of the narrative, even if they appear happy and important. Their value in the ad stems not from their voices or actions, but from the emotional warmth and beauty they bring to the visuals.

Another important aspect of Mulvey’s theory is that the media doesn’t just portray women this way it teaches the viewer to look at them this way. We are trained by visual storytelling to find meaning in women’s appearances and reactions, rather than in their words or decisions. In the Glo ad, the women’s smiles, gestures, and traditional attire are central to creating a sense of joy, but they aren’t contributing directly to the advert’s core message, which is about Glo’s role in bringing people together. Instead, their beauty and presence serve to emphasize that joy, making them symbols rather than subjects. Even the more active scenes such as dancing or gift-giving still lean into Mulvey’s theory. While some women are shown dancing energetically, the camera often slows down or softens the movement, turning these actions into beautiful moments rather than empowering ones. They become part of the atmosphere rather than the action. Meanwhile, male figures, although not overwhelmingly dominant, are sometimes seen leading, offering, or hosting. These subtle differences add up and point to a visual hierarchy that places male roles in positions of mild control or initiative, while female roles remain supportive and decorative.

Mulvey’s phrase “to-be-looked-at” becomes especially relevant here. The women in the Glo advert embody this quality they are there to enhance the ad visually, not narratively. Even their traditional outfits, which are culturally rich and beautiful, can be seen as another layer of curated visual appeal. Rather than expressing individual identity or power, these elements are presented in a way that complements the setting, aligning with the festive message but not shaping it. What makes this critique more complex is that the ad is clearly well-meaning. It celebrates Nigerian culture, highlights the value of togetherness, and steers clear of vulgarity or sexualization. However, Mulvey’s theory does not only apply to explicit objectification it also warns us of the more subtle, normalized ways in which women are made passive in media. These softer portrayals, like in the Glo ad, its harder to question because they appear positive on the surface. Yet, they continue to frame women in ways that limit their role to emotional symbols or visual harmony.

Another layer worth adding is how Mulvey suggests the viewer is encouraged to identify with the male protagonist or with a masculine way of seeing even when no clear male lead is present. In this ad, there isn’t a central character, but the camera itself becomes the gaze, guiding how we consume the scenes. The ad focuses on joy, warmth, and cultural pride, but it is through a visual style that makes the female form central to the emotional payoff. As a result, the viewer unconsciously aligns with a perspective that values women for how they contribute to the mood, not for their autonomy or decisions.

This brings up an important critique in media studies today Can representation still be problematic if it looks respectful? The answer, according to Mulvey, is yes. Because media often reproduces ideologies without question, even well-meaning representation can reinforce traditional power structures. In the Feliz Navidad Nigeria! ad, women are not ridiculed or belittled, but they are still not allowed to take full ownership of the space. Their role is to beautify, to make the celebration look and feel good not to claim voice, authority, or equal presence in storytelling. In some moments, the advert seems aware of this balance. It tries to show harmony and shared happiness, which suggests progress from the old media model where women were only side characters. Yet, even this progress has limits when women’s portrayal is still largely defined by how they appear in the frame, rather than by what they contribute to the message or action. This is why Mulvey’s theory remains so useful. It helps viewers develop a more critical eye not to reject all beautiful images of women, but to ask deeper questions: Who is looking? Who is being looked at? And why are they shown that way? In the case of the Glo ad, these questions reveal that beneath the festive joy lies a visual strategy that still gives meaning to women through how they enhance the brand’s image, not through their voice or autonomy.

Conclusion for Laura Mulvey’s

Glo’s Feliz Navidad Nigeria! ad may be a celebration of culture and togetherness, but through the lens of Laura Mulvey’s “male gaze,” we can see how gendered power dynamics are still present in the way women are portrayed. While not overtly objectifying, the ad presents women as visual symbols of happiness rather than as active participants in the narrative. This shows how traditional forms of representation still influence modern media, even in uplifting and culturally rich advertisements. As viewers and especially as media students it’s important to look past surface level beauty and joy to examine the underlying structure of who gets to act and who is simply seen.