Case Study:
Family is Family

CLIENT: MELCA

The Brief 

MELCA facilitates a peaceful way of separating, designed to minimise conflict and avoid court by prioritising the wellbeing of the family. They approached us because they wanted to find a way to tell the story of why their work is important, while helping them convert prospects into customers.

After our initial workshop, it was evident that to connect with audiences and deliver on MELCA’s objectives, we must:

  • Highlight the impact of separation and divorce on families.

  • Explore the family law system and why families should avoid it if possible.

  • Show that Collaborative Practice (what MELCA does) is a compelling solution.

  • Address fears and misconceptions associated with Collaborative Practice.

  • Position MELCA as a thought leader and an authority on peaceful separation.

Strategy

Our initial research was focused on understanding the family law system and the various factors, as well as developing an understanding of the two primary audiences for the project:

  • MELCA’s clients (past/present/potential).

  • The family law industry.

This resulted in a story strategy to help us understand the protagonist (their clients), the antagonist (the system) and the role of the mentor (MELCA). The story strategy not only helped MELCA to understand how they fit into the world of story, but it helped us develop a compelling narrative, which we felt would be best suited to a long-form (30 minute) documentary.

We also created a marketing and campaign strategy, including several additional content deliverables to maximise the impact of the film.

Creative

Creative development was guided by the following key messages and story anchors we had identified:

  • Political/legal system related issues

  • The role of family lawyers

  • The counter narrative (proponents of the system)

  • The consequences, impacts and the solution. 

We worked with MELCA to identify interview subjects to best explore the story anchors identified. 

Stakeholder interviews informed a detailed story outline that guided production, enabling us to stay on point and true to the strategic objectives of the project. 

Impact

Family is Family premiered on October 29th at the Sofitel, Melbourne, and was released online on November the 26th, 2019. The audience provided feedback and the screening led to numerous PR opportunities for MELCA.

The documentary has been a feature on MELCA’s website ever since, helping clients understand the purpose of the organisation, while regularly converting prospects into customers.

This project also inspired the development of Reimagining Separation, a documentary series exploring the impacts of family separation and why system change is needed.