Turning Research Into Stories with AIFS

The Australian Institute of Family Studies’ What is a Family? survey revealed striking findings: love matters more than blood, with only 30 per cent of participants rating legal ties as important in defining family. 

LGBTQ+ respondents were almost twice as likely to view blood or genetics as unimportant, while younger generations emphasised love and unconditional support as universal values.

As Australia’s key research body on family wellbeing, AIFS needed to turn dense survey data into content that resonated emotionally while preserving research integrity. 

This had to support a coordinated campaign including 140+ media interviews and reach multiple audiences.

We created two distinct video formats serving complementary purposes. 

The 60-second animated explainer distilled key research findings into accessible, shareable content for social distribution, opening with “What makes a family?” to prompt personal reflection. The abstract visual style made content universal rather than prescriptive.

The live action hero video showcased authentic human stories, with real families sharing personal definitions through unscripted moments. Diverse family structures were represented, including chosen family, pets, and non-traditional arrangements.