Critique 2: bell hooks’ Intersectional Analysis of Race and Representation

Introduction

bell hooks, a renowned feminist thinker, critiques media for its racial and gender hierarchies, focusing on how Blackness is represented in mainstream culture. Her work emphasizes intersectionality, exploring how race, class, and gender intersect in media portrayals.

In critiquing Feliz Navidad Nigeria!, I will analyze:

• How Nigerian culture is represented—whether it is authentic or shaped by Western ideals.

• How race and ethnicity are framed—whether the cast is diverse or conforms to limited stereotypes.

• How power dynamics operate—whether the ad reinforces dominant social hierarchies or empowers marginalized identities.

Cultural Representation and Authenticity

One of hooks' core arguments is that media frequently co-opts Black culture while distorting its authenticity to align with mainstream (often Western) values. If the advertisement aims to celebrate Nigerian Christmas traditions, how genuinely does it do so?

• Western vs. Indigenous Influence: Does the aesthetic feel genuinely Nigerian, or does it borrow heavily from Western holiday imagery?

• Music and Atmosphere: Does the ad incorporate Nigerian festive traditions such as local music, dialects, and cultural practices? Or does it merely overlay a generic Christmas aesthetic onto Nigerian settings?

• Representation of Nigerian Identity: Does the cast reflect diverse Nigerian ethnic groups, or is it limited to a singular portrayal of Nigerian culture?

Race, Power, and Inclusion

hooks' critique extends beyond cultural representation to examine who is empowered in media. If the advertisement reflects class hierarchies, eurocentric beauty standards, or token representation, it fails to offer a truly inclusive portrayal.

• Who Holds Power? Are the central figures in the ad upper-class Nigerians? Does it reinforce elitism, favoring lighter-skinned individuals or Western-style aesthetics?

• Economic Representation: Does the ad depict a fantasy of affluence and luxury, excluding working-class Nigerians from its joyful holiday imagery?

• Diversity in Nigerian Identity: Does the advertisement include a range of complex, multidimensional Nigerian identities, avoiding a singular or romanticized depiction?

Challenging Oppressive Media Structures

An ad that follows hooks' perspective should challenge dominant media norms, ensuring that race, class, and gender dynamics are equitably represented.

• Authentic Storytelling: Is the narrative shaped from a Nigerian perspective, or does it rely on external (Western) influences?

• Breaking Beauty Norms: Does the ad celebrate diverse Nigerian aesthetics rather than conforming to eurocentric ideals?

• Empowering Representation: Are women, lower-class individuals, and marginalized ethnic groups depicted with autonomy, power, and equal presence?

Conclusion

A critique through bell hooks’ lens reveals whether Feliz Navidad Nigeria! truly represents Nigeria’s diverse identity or merely packages a Western holiday aesthetic within an African setting. If it challenges dominant hierarchies, celebrates local traditions, and promotes a multi-faceted vision of Nigerian identity, it aligns with progressive media representation. But if it favors elitism, exclusionary beauty standards, or Western idealization, it reinforces existing media biases.

Final Thoughts

Both critiques explore distinct ways media reinforces or challenges societal norms. Mulvey’s male gaze critiqueexamines gender dynamics, while hooks’ intersectional critique highlights race, class, and inclusivity. Let me know if you’d like refinements based on specific details from the ad!

Critique 1: Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze in Advertising

 

Introduction

Laura Mulvey’s seminal work, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, explores how mainstream media—particularly film—positions women as passive objects of male desire. The concept of the male gaze refers to the way visual media structures its depictions of women through a masculine, often objectifying perspective. This framework is deeply relevant in advertising, where gender representation plays a crucial role in influencing consumer culture.

In this critique, I will analyze how Globacom's Feliz Navidad Nigeria! advertisement engages with or challenges the male gaze. Does the ad reinforce traditional gender dynamics? Are women depicted as active participants or merely as visual pleasure for the viewer? By examining camera techniques, gender roles, visual framing, and narrative structure, I will assess whether the advertisement perpetuates patriarchal norms.

The Male Gaze in Visual Composition

One of Mulvey’s key arguments is that media often constructs women as spectacle, meaning their presence is designed for pleasurable viewing rather than active participation in the narrative. If the advertisement includes highly stylized shots of women, particularly lingering close-ups on their bodies, it risks reinforcing this spectacle-driven representation.

• Camera Framing: If the ad frequently uses shots that emphasize female beauty over agency—such as slow-motion sequences, fragmented body shots, or exaggerated focus on appearance—it suggests a prioritization of visual pleasure over narrative function.

• Costume and Styling: Are women dressed in a way that caters to traditional beauty standards? Is their presentation reinforcing femininity as an aesthetic ideal rather than an active role in the celebration?

• Interactions with Male Characters: Are women engaged in meaningful interactions, or are they positioned as decorative elements within the festive atmosphere?

Gender Roles and Participation

Mulvey’s theory extends beyond visual techniques to examine how gender roles are structured in media narratives. In holiday advertisements, there is often a clear division: men as providers or leaders, and women as recipients of joy or objects of admiration.

• Who Drives the Narrative? Does the advertisement place male figures in dominant roles, such as leading the festivities, giving gifts, or being active participants, while women exist primarily to react?

• Representation of Domesticity: Does the ad reinforce traditional roles—such as women preparing holiday meals, decorating the space, or serving others? If so, it continues the media trope of placing women within domestic spheres rather than public or leadership roles.

Subversion of the Male Gaze

It’s equally important to ask whether the ad challenges or disrupts Mulvey’s framework. Some advertisements actively subvert gender norms by showcasing empowered female characters, rejecting traditional beauty standards, or placing women in dominant roles.

• Agency vs. Passivity: Do women make independent choices, actively shape the festive narrative, or appear as central figures with control over their own experience?

• Diverse Representation: Does the ad feature women in roles outside the standard holiday aesthetic—such as professional settings, leadership roles, or diverse representations of femininity?

• Camera Reframing: Does the visual composition treat all genders with equal respect, ensuring balanced representation rather than disproportionate focus on female beauty?

Conclusion

Through Mulvey’s lens, the advertisement can either reinforce or challenge traditional patriarchal structures. If the ad presents women primarily as objects of visual pleasure, conforms to traditional gender roles, or prioritizes aesthetics over agency, it aligns with the male gaze. However, if it offers a more balanced, inclusive representation, allowing women autonomy, equal participation, and non-objectified presence, it moves toward a more progressive media portrayal.