Paulo Mariano | Senior Art Director, Creative Lead & International Jury Member in Europe

Paulo Mariano is an award-winning Senior Art Director and Creative Lead based in Lisbon, Portugal, with 23+ years of experience developing integrated advertising campaigns, brand activations, brand identity systems and visual storytelling for global brands including Netflix, Emirates, EDP, LIDL, Gatorade, Delta Cafés and Bank of Brazil. Selected for Lürzer's Archive 200 Best Digital Artists Worldwide 2025 and recognised by ADC Europe, EFFIE, CCP and Lusófonos Awards. International advertising jury member at NYF New York Festivals, Mad Stars Busan, FIAP, AdForum PHNX, AIVA and Clube Criativos Portugal. Working with Generative AI tools including Midjourney, Sora, Gemini and Adobe Firefly for concept development, moodboards and visual exploration. Work featured in Lürzer's Archive — All About Francis, Lürzer's Archive — Paulo Mariano, Ad Age — The SkinBook, Best Ads on TV — The SkinBook, ADCE / ADC Europe 2024 and CCP — Clube Criativos Portugal. Full biography and jury history.

PAULO MARIANO
WORK    

 

Direção de Arte e Storytelling Visual — Projeto Octant, Local Heroes, ideation, design, photography, Creative Director, Art director


Local Heroes

Brand Identity System





In diversity, you find humanity.
Welcome to singularity.


In each one of Octant hotels, you can find true luxury in simplicity.
And there´s some bravery there. Believing in the luxury of small things.
Working to make them noticed, lived, valued.
Each Octant is a bespoke homage to each location.

This campaign revolves around a distinct kind of luxury: THE LOCAL KIND OF LUXURY. Aiming to regenerate hotels to their essence, to their singularity and original truth, we decided to recognise and value genuine local suppliers as the face of the press campaign.

Developed across real locations, the visual system follows an editorial standard using real people instead of models. Through precise shoot direction, each individual was guided to reveal their authentic truth, translating local reality into a sophisticated and high-end narrative.

―
MY ROLE / Concept, Art Direction, Image Retouching
WHERE / Solid Dogma
CLIENT / Octant Hotels - A new latitude of freedom








 Luís Silva - Fresh cheese with pepper dough - O Lavrador Cheese Factory - Azores  |  Dona Glória - Leavened cake - Glória Moniz Bakery - São Jorge Island   |   Joana Gouveia - Organic strawberries - Quinta Verde Água - Douro   |   Vitor Seco - Barca Tareco - Mondego River

 



Direção de Arte e Storytelling Visual — Projeto Octant, Local Heroes, ideation, design, photography, Creative Director, Art director




Finding purpose in where they are, how they are, what story they tell and why.
That´s why no hotel is like the other. 
To capture the relation between nature, culture and people and make that the real experience.








Cozido das Caldeiras - Furnas   |  Thijs Valkenburg - Chameleon - Algarve  




Direção de Arte e Storytelling Visual — Projeto Octant, Local Heroes, ideation, design, photography, Creative Director, Art director


Direção de Arte e Storytelling Visual — Projeto Octant, Local Heroes, ideation, design, photography, Creative Director, Art director





This chain of 5-star hotels doesn't have palatial luxury.
It doesn't have exotic luxury.
It doesn't have cosmopolitan luxury.
It has local luxury. The luxury of small things. The luxury of rarity. Of humanity.






Direção de Arte e Storytelling Visual — Projeto Octant, Local Heroes, ideation, design, photography, Creative Director, Art director




Direção de Arte e Storytelling Visual — Projeto Octant, Local Heroes, ideation, design, photography, Creative Director, Art director