Margorie Ferguson identified four types of facial expressions commonly seen on the covers of British women's magazines: the Chocolate Box expression with a half or full smile and barely visible teeth projecting warmth; the Invitational expression with an emphasis on the eyes and a hint of a smile suggesting mischief; the Super-Smiler expression with a wide open toothy smile projecting an aggressive "look at me" attitude; and the Romantic or Sexual expression showing two people together or a dreamy look projecting availability. Trevor Millum categorized male expressions in women's magazine advertisements as Carefree with a smile projecting vibrancy, Practical concentrating on a task with a closed mouth, Seductive with self-sufficient confidence, Comic deliberately

1. S
Facial Expressions
Margorie Ferguson and Trevor Millum

2. Margorie Ferguson
S Marjorie Ferguson (1980) identified four types of facial
expression in the cover photos of British women’s
magazines:
S Chocolate Box
S Invitational
S Super-smiler
S Romantic or Sexual

3. Chocolate
Box
Half or full-smile, lips together
or slightly parted, teeth barely
visible, full or three-quarter
face to camera. Projected
mood: blandly pleasing, warm
bath warmth, where uniformity
of features in their smooth
perfection is devoid of
uniqueness or of individuality.

4. Invitational
Emphasis on the eyes, mouth
shut or with only a hint of a
smile, head to one side or
looking back to camera.
Projected mood: suggestive of
mischief or mystery, the hint of
contact potential rather than
sexual promise, the cover
equivalent of advertising’s soft
sell.

5. Super-Smiler
Full face, wide open toothy
smile, head thrust forward or
chin thrown back, hair often
wind-blown. Projected mood:
aggressive, ‘look-at-me’
demanding, the hard sell, ‘big
come-on’ approach.

6. Romantic or
Sexual
A fourth and more general
classification devised to
include male and female ‘two-
somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-
lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or
the overtly sensual or sexual.
Projected moods: possible
‘available’ and definitely
‘available’.

7. Trevor Millum
S In a study of advertisements in women’s magazines,
Trevor Millum offers these categories of male
expressions:
S Carefree
S Practical
S Seductive
S Comic
S Catelogue

8. Carefree
Nymphlike, active, healthy,
gay, vibrant, outdoor guy;
often smiling or grinning.

9. Practical
Concentrating, engaged on
the business in hand, mouth
closed, eyes object-directed,
sometimes a slight frown; hair
often short.

10. Seductive
Similar to the cool/level* look in
many respects - the eyes are less
wide, perhaps shaded, the
expression is less reserved but
still self-sufficient and confident;
milder versions may include a
slight smile.
*Cool/level: indifferent, self-
sufficient, arrogant, slightly
insolent, haughty, aloof, confident,
reserved; wide eyes, lips straight
or slightly parted, and obtrusive
hair, often blonde. The eyes
usually look the reader in the eye,
as perhaps the man regards
himself in the mirror.

11. Comic
Deliberately ridiculous,
exaggerated, acting the fool,
pulling faces for the benefit of
a real or imaginary audience,
sometimes close to a sort of
archness.

12. Catelogue
A neutral look as of a dummy,
artificial, waxlike; features may
be in any position, but most
likely to be with eyes open
wide and a smile, but the look
remains vacant and empty;
personality has been
removed.