HP rearranges relatives to make a point about the 'All-American' family

What does the "all-American" family look like? For many people, the phrase conjures an image of a mother, a father and a few kids. Oh, and they're white.

But that describes only a third of American families these days. A true picture is more complex, varied and colorful. To prove the point, HP put some people to the test. Along with Edelman, the company gathered 13 real families in Chicago, mixed up the groups and asked strangers to assemble what they thought looked like an all-American family.

In general, the strangers paired off heterosexual pairs of the same race, along with a couple of kids. An African-American lesbian and her baby ended up with an African-American man who was actually married to a white woman. Their partners ended up in similarly mixed-up groups. When the real family units are revealed, it becomes apparent that there's no "real" archetypal family in America. Same-sex couples raise children, single men adopt, love crosses racial boundaries.

The film is the latest in HP's "Reinvent Mindsets" series. The effort also launches with a research study commissioned by HP that explores how Americans identify families. A third of respondents said they would be nervous bringing home a partner of a different race, and a full half said their family prefers they stay within racial and religious lines when it comes to love. Still, 95 percent say they have close ties to their families, and they're willing to hold them to account. A third have cut ties with family members because of intolerant views.