Behind the Festive Cheer: A Mulveyian Look at GLO

 

The "Feliz Navidad GLO" ad, while seemingly festive and focused on a joyous celebration, subtly perpetuates Laura Mulvey's concept of the male gaze by positioning women as objects of visual pleasure, lacking agency, and primarily existing for the enjoyment of a presumed male spectator.

Firstly, the ad's presentation of the female characters aligns with Mulvey's description of "to-be-looked-at-ness." The women, predominantly seen enjoying the Christmas festivities, are often framed in visually appealing ways. The camera frequently lingers on their physical attributes, their smiles, their hair, their bodies moving in rhythm with the music, rather than exploring their personalities or motivations. Take, for example, the shot where the camera focuses on a woman laughing and dancing, her movements highlighted by the festive lights. While the intention might be to convey joy, the focus remains on her physical performance, turning her into a spectacle for the viewer's consumption. This visual emphasis on the women's physical presence reduces them to objects intended to be admired rather than subjects with their desires and perspectives.

The roles assigned to women in the ad reinforce their passivity. Women are shown smiling, dancing, and laughing, but their actions rarely initiate the narrative. Men are more likely to lead interactions, offer gifts, or direct group activities. In scenes where a male and female character interact, the male often takes the dominant role, whether it’s initiating a toast, leading a dance, or guiding the camera's attention. The women, in contrast, respond rather than act. This imbalance reflects Mulvey's idea that women in media are positioned to be looked at and reacted to, not to influence or control the story.

Another critical aspect of Mulvey’s theory is how the camera becomes a surrogate for the male viewer’s gaze. In the Glo advertisement, this is especially evident in the way certain shots are composed. Slow pans across female bodies, zoom-ins on facial expressions or physical curves, and editing techniques that isolate women visually, even when they are part of a crowd, serve to emphasize their role as objects of beauty. These shots are rarely balanced by similar portrayals of men, reinforcing the one-sided nature of the gaze.

Secondly, the ad often employs elements of voyeurism, subtly positioning the viewer in a position of power. Several scenes feature quick, fleeting glimpses of the women, creating a sense that the viewer is intruding on a private moment. For instance, a shot of a woman opening a present, her face lit with excitement, is followed by a quick cut to another scene. This fleeting view reinforces the idea that the viewer is a passive observer, passively consuming the women's images without truly engaging with their experiences. This voyeuristic tendency undermines the women’s agency, turning them into passive objects observed and enjoyed from a distance.

Further supporting this argument is the noticeable absence of clear narratives or backstories for the female characters. We rarely, if ever, hear them speak or get a sense of their personalities. The women are defined more by their physical appearance and their ability to contribute to the festive atmosphere than by their inner thoughts or motivations. They function more as aesthetic components within the Christmas tableau, fulfilling a visually pleasing role rather than acting as independent agents with their desires and aspirations. In one particular scene where they are giving a gift to the man, it showcases the joy, but it is more about what they’re doing than how the feeling may feels.

Moreover, even the moments where the product itself is featured, the GLO device, can be seen through the lens of the male gaze. The sleek design of the device, often presented in conjunction with the woman, is meant to evoke a sense of sophistication. The implied message is that by using GLO, the male viewer can associate himself with the beauty and desirability of the women in the ad. The GLO device is not just a product; it’s a symbol of access to a world of visually appealing women, reinforcing the objectification inherent in the male gaze.

 

Therefore, despite its emphasis on community and its overall focus on festive cheer, the "Feliz Navidad GLO" ad ultimately contributes to the often subtle perpetuation of the male gaze. It deliberately prioritizes the visual appeal of its carefully crafted female characters, subtly reducing them to objects of passive consumption and thus undermining their potential agency within the presented narrative. Ultimately, it reinforces subtly imbedded patriarchal structures that often continue to unconsciously position women as primarily existing for the carefully curated pleasure of the presumed male spectator.