Warm, intimate reinterpretation of a classic, celebrating the art of listening.
Challenge
For Schoonenberg’s new Christmas campaign, the challenge was to reimagine a well-known classic in a way that felt intimate, contemporary, and emotionally honest. The film focuses on genuine conversations and the act of truly listening, capturing subtle moments that required a soundtrack characterized by restraint, warmth, and space to breathe.
At the same time, the music needed to evoke a festive spirit without resorting to clichés and resonate across cultures while being developed in collaboration with a team separated by the ocean.
Output
We reimagined "Why Can’t We Live Together" as a warm, intimate Christmas track, built around piano, real strings, and a slower, more flowing tempo that mirrors the film’s rhythm. Whisper-soft strings add depth and emotion, while Jackie Venson’s soulful voice conveys the heart of the song. Subtle festive details enhance the track, resulting in a modern Christmas reinterpretation that celebrates the power of listening.
Credits
Client: Schoonenberg - Martijn de Weerdt, Rencia Stortenbeker en Minouche Haverkort
Bureau: Indie Amsterdam
Productiemaatschappij: Indie Amsterdam
Regisseur: Heleen DeClercq
Fotograaf: Tim Stet
DP: Katja van den Broeke
Edit: Ward Geerts @Sliced Collective
Grading: Florian Martiny @KeepGrading
VFX/Online: The Compound
Music: Thndr
Sound Studio: Levalo