It says, "This video is private."

Try this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3mZOb8Nbeo

The video you linked to is coming up as private.

I've seen this commercial several times on TV, though, and thought it was cute (in a sappy commercial sort of way) - but my read on it was that she was retired, which makes it not that surprising that she wouldn't have ties preventing the move. Yes, there'd be her social circle, but they're both leaving that and I don't expect to see them talking out the pros/cons of an international move in a 30 second TV spot. Actually it took three or four viewings before I really noticed "dad got transfered" in the opening, rather than assuming this was a post-retirement move for both of them.

Any commercial that takes a dozen views by a sociologist before subtle nuances in the gender roles are noticed must be overtly sexist. All commercials must give intricate back stories for their characters, or else these companies are just perpetuating old stereotypes.

Here's a "novel" idea - Why not have the MOTHER in the commercial get transferred to Istanbul and the father tag along?

Yeah, I know... crazy talk.

Wow. Someone who still watches commercials. That's some mad old school you're living.

Okay, now that I've seen the video, I'm surprised that the narrator didn't just say, "My parents decided to spend their retirement in Istanbul." They both look around seventy to me, so, to me, it sort of strains credibility that he'd be getting a transfer at his age. So that change would make it seem more reasonable and remove the sexist element.

The couple is well into their 60s, it seems, and the narration doesn't extend more than 2 years prior to the events shown. If this was a couple in their 30s or 40s, it would strike me as odd, but many people in their 60s (male and female) have already retired. Also, your 'couldn't ALL wives?' line seems pretty strange.....the commercial is presented as somewhat of an unusual, novel situation. The narrator is talking about HIS parents, not a generic couple

and tjis ad is about upper middle class white people, so it's right to assume what she assumes. We are talking about specifics, not debating the state of retirement ages across the world and classes,

What bothers me a lot more is that he calls a tram "the subway". Quick googling suggests there is an underground system in Istanbul, but what's shown is a streetcar, which is not 'sub'.

Yeah I know I'm being ridiculously pedantic, it just bugged me.

Did anyone notice the 'neighborhood hang out' is a mens drinking establishment, much like many places in Turkey/Cyprus, etc...

It is a real stretch to see this as even remotely sexist.

Because a woman would never want to go on an adventure like that. To a scary place that is different. No desire at all. She needs to be near a mall and shops and her girlfriends to play cards.

I never once thought of this as sexist, if anything I thought it was kind of nice seeing a family from Queens happy in Istanbul.

I live in the greater NY area and I'm soooo tired of people in NY being portrayed as backwards xenophobes, especially since that whole "Ground Zero Mosque" story picked up.

I think it's entirely possible that the wife could have even urged the husband to take the transfer because she was just so tired of the same routine and the same boring self-absorbed circle of "friends." Maybe it's time they go on that adventure they always talked about since getting married.

It just seems like a major stretch to call this sexist.

For all those who have dismissed this as not "remotely sexist," try this little experiment: reverse the genders.

"My parents have always lived in Queens, until two years ago when my mom transferred to Istanbul."

If you're being honest, doesn't it feel... wrong? Like you need some explanation about what happened with Dad and his job?

While this certainly isn't on the same scale as the open misogyny I've seen in some advertising (e.g. or those heinous Twix adverts, or nearly any beer commercial), it does reflect a persistent imbalance in our expectations for male and female roles.

@jentenna My mother has a degree in Maths & accounting (mid 60s) and has used it her entire working life (which, now being a small business owner she is using past 65). My sister has a PhD in Maths & accounting (mid 90s) and is using it.
Saying my mother was a VP and my dad 'did something in an office' at school was unusual in the 70s, hardly mind bending then, let alone now.

If it feels wrong to you, it's probably because it's not true.
Otherwise redefining your own expectations is something you should really work on.

It's not sexist in the sense of "insulting to women". It's sexist in the sense that all of things "they" discovered in Instanbul is framed with reference to the father's experience.

Sociological Images is a blog that explores how visual pop culture reflects and informs society at large. This commercial is a manifestation of the "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith" way of thinking about heterosexual couples. The primary reference point is the life of the man. The feminist take on that fact is that neglecting the woman's agency is a negative act. The anti-feminist position is that neglecting the woman's agency is a positive act. Observing that the neglect occurs is not an inherently feminist perspective, particularly if that observation is couched as "huh, that's interesting."

Maybe Mom owns her own successful business and can run it from anywhere in the world.

I suppose it's due to my situation, but I don't see anything inherently sexist, just, as another poster said, not actively challenging the status quo. My husband and I, as well as many other couples we know, take turns following each other for job opportunities. I moved to a different state to follow him while we were dating, and then he followed me to Japan, giving up a secure career for the opportunity. Why wouldn't she do the same for a once in a lifetime opportunity?

If this were a movie or documentary and focused so much on the man, yes, you'd have a point, but it's a commercial. They don't exactly have time to delve into the backstory.

Regarding the many commenters crying not sexist because the situation described in it is not what's going on in *their* lives - good for you! It just doesn't mean that in a grand majority of cases the woman's/wife's career still doesn't take second place when the Dude is getting transferred, promoted, fired and/or hired.

This is bothering. Not only does whe fall into the old trap of an ideal woman whose every interest is male coded, but you could make this into a commercial about a single or widowed man and nothing would change at all. Makes me wonder a bit why they didn't just do that.

Stop watching commercials!!

Did it ever occur to any of you feminists that this commercial wasn't even targeting you. It's like bitching about a conversation someone else is having. If you don't like the conversation, don't eavesdrop. Or in this case, don't watch television commercials that have nothing to do with you. My grandma and grandpa had a very similar dynamic to this, it is a very normal dynamic for older folks. At least these older folks know where to waste their energies in order to make a happy and long life together.