Paulo Mariano is an award-winning Senior Art Director and Creative Lead based in Lisbon, Portugal, with 25 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, Editions 7 and 8, and recognised by ADC Europe, EFFIE, CCP and Lusófonos Awards. Final jury member at MAD STARS 2026 in Busan, and jury member at NYF New York Festivals, FIAP, AdForum PHNX, Ad Black Sea, White Square, Lusófonos Creativity Awards, AIVA and Clube da Criatividade de Portugal. Spoke at MAD STARS 2026 on the five human behaviours that push a creative towards the average. Working with Generative AI tools including Midjourney, Sora, Gemini and Adobe Firefly for concept development, moodboards and visual exploration.

Beyond advertising, Paulo Mariano writes short fiction and essays in Portuguese, published in the Words section of this site, and develops authorial visual art. These pieces explore attention, perception, identity and the ordinary moments most people walk past. The written work sits alongside the commercial work as a separate body, with its own reading.

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 da Criatividade de Portugal. Full biography and jury history.

PAULO MARIANO

ADS •••• ABOUT •••• AWARDS •••• WORDS

Recognition. Paulo Mariano, Senior Art Director, Creative Lead and International Advertising Jury Member based in Lisbon, Portugal.






Advertising awards and industry recognition including Cannes Lions, Effie Awards, Madstars, ADC Europe, Lürzer's Archive 200 Best, CCP, Lusófonos and Best Ads. Paulo Mariano




: Awards :


MAD STARS 2026
_ Crystal | Experience & Activation | Emirates "Follow the Captain"

ADC Europe Awards
_ Gold | Design Packaging | 2020
 _ Bronze | Design | 2024

CANNES LIONS 2014
_ Shortlist | Outdoor | Gatorade “Billboard Refrigerator”

EFFIE Awards Brasil 2016
_ Bronze | Services | "Compre do Pequeno Negócio" | Sebrae

LUSÓFONOS CREATIVITY AWARDS
_ Gold | Media | 2022
_ Bronze | Media | 2022
_ Bronze | Outdoor | 2022

CCP Awards (Clube da Criatividade de Portugal)
2026
_ Gold | Events & Activation
_ Bronze | Film
_ Shortlist | Film
_ Shortlist | Film

2024
_ Gold | Integration & Innovation
_ Silver | Digital
_ Bronze | Self-Promotion
_ Bronze | Brand Experience

2023
_ Bronze | Design, branding
 _ Shortlist | Design, branding
_ Shortlist | Design, Illustration
_ Shortlist | Integration & Innovation
_ Shortlist | Emerging Digital Experiences

2021
_ Silver |  Design, graphic design
_ Bronze | Social & Content
_ Bronze | Digital Experience
_ Shortlist | Social & Content
_ Shortlist | Digital Experience

2020
_ Gold | Design, Packaging
_ Bronze | Digital Experience

_ TOP 5 BEST Illustrator/Programmer 2024

MEIOS & PUBLICIDADE DESIGN AWARDS - Portugal
_ Honourable Mention | Illustration | 2023
_ Awarded | Branding | 2023
_ Awarded | Label Design | 2021
_ Awarded | App Design | 2021


CCSP (Clube de Criação de São Paulo)
_ Bronze | Direct Marketing | 2015
_ Bronze | Design | 2015
_ Work featured in CCSP 40th Yearbook

COLUNISTAS BRASIL/DESIGN
_ Gold | Integrated Campaign | 2009
_ Silver | Branding | 2013
_ Silver | Institutional & Corporate | 2012
_ Silver | Radio | 2012

COLUNISTAS REGIONAL - Brasília
_ Gold | Retail Products & Services | 2010
_ Silver | Culture & Education | 2010
_ Gold | Public Products & Services | 2009
_ Gold | Community Products & Services | 2009

POSTER MOSTRA - Portugal
_ Selected work | 2025
 _ Selected work | 2026



: Speaking & Writing :


2026

TALKS
MAD STARS (Busan International Advertising Festival)
_ “The I Behind the A.I.”
On the five human behaviours that push creatives towards the average and why variation is worth defending.

PUBLISHED ESSAYS
adobo Magazine (Philippines)
_ “The I Behind the A.I.”

Marketeer (Portugal)
_ “The I behind the AI (o eu por trás da IA)”

MADTimes (Korea)
_ “Not Decided by AI”
_ Series “Babel Upside Down”
  Part 1: When festivals funnel many languages into one
  Part 2: The Machine Reads Every Language. Does the Jury?

INTERVIEWS
The Stable (Australia)
_ “The siren call of Average I”


: Industry Recognition :


Lürzer's Archive
_ Selected for 200 Best Digital Artists Worldwide, Edition 7 (2024/25)
_ Selected for 200 Best Digital Artists Worldwide, Edition 8 (2025/26)
_ Featured works (2015, 2018, 2023)

AdAge
_ Pick of the Day

Adweek
_ Featured Work

Best Ads on TV
_ Top 5 Campaign



PRESS
Meios & Publicidade (Portugal)
_ Poster Mostra Coverage (2026)

Booooooom
_ Featured project (2023)

Hypebeast
_ Featured project (2015)

Markt & Kommunikation
_ Featured project (2015)



MEDIA APPEARANCES
PITCH Brand & Content
_ 99% Inspiração






International advertising festival jury experience. MAD STARS, PHNX Awards, New York Festivals Advertising Awards, AdBlackSea, White Square, Communicator Awards, FIAP 2025, CCP, w3 awards, Prémio Lusófonos. Paulo Mariano, Creative Lead





: International Advertising and Design Juries :


Interested in work where design and visual thinking make the idea work harder, not just look good.


2026

_ MAD STARS - Awarding Jury (Final Jury) | Traditional
  Busan International Advertising Festival, South Korea
_ New York Festivals Advertising Awards - Shortlist Jury
_ Ad Black Sea - Awarding Jury
_ White Square International Advertising Festival - Awarding Jury
_ Lusófonos Creativity Awards - Jury Member | Design
_ AdForum PHNX Awards - Jury Member
_ Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA) - Juror
  Communicator Awards / w3 Awards / Davey
_ CCP Awards (Clube da Criatividade de Portugal) - Shortlist Jury | Design


2025

_ FIAP Awards - Shortlist Jury | Production
  Festival Iberoamericano de la Creatividad
_ CCP Awards (Clube da Criatividade de Portugal) - Shortlist Jury | Design

2024

_ CCP Awards (Clube da Criatividade de Portugal) - Shortlist Jury | Craft Advertising

2011
_ Abril Advertising Award - Jury Member
  25th edition, Brazil






Mark




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