You're not alone -- a Slate colleague who saw the ad also first assumed the logger was the protester's dad, not her significant other. HSBC's folks told me that they were careful not to tell the viewer too much about the relationship (i.e. whether or not they're married), but they're definitely lovers, not father-daughter.

I thought I saw rings on their fingers, suggesting they were married. Maybe I was just projecting my perceptions, though.

Also, if he's her dad, he looks damn good for his age!

I too assumed he was her dad - which would have introduced the generational angle.

Swansburg:

You're not alone -- a Slate colleague who saw the ad also first assumed the logger was the protester's dad, not her significant other. HSBC's folks told me that they were careful not to tell the viewer too much about the relationship (i.e. whether or not they're married), but they're definitely lovers, not father-daughter.

It's rather funny that the backstory is so specific about them being lovers, but they didn't want to project whether they were married or not. If half that much effort had been put into seeing whether the commercial made any sense for the business, it'd have been a success instead of the head-scratcher it turned out to be.

I didn't see the commercial before reading the article, but I could swear she says "Are you happy now, Henry?"

I totally thought he was her father. He looked old enough to me! And the way she acted as very much like a daughter would act, bratty, then willing to be comforted. Guess I totally missed the point, whatever it was. I never even realized it was about HSBC either.

Ha, I was right, they're married! This was bugging me recently after seeing the ad again.

Check out 1:13 as she's putting on her helmet, and 1:23 when we see her holding onto the bike and go to reach around his waist. She's wearing two bands on her left ring finger!