What do “Thriller,” by Michael Jackson, “La Isla Bonita,” by Madonna, “All Night Long,” by Lionel Ritchie, “We are the World,” by USA for Africa, and many hits by Whitney Houston and Tina Turner have in common? Brazilian musician Paulinho da Costa on percussion. Over the course of his career, this legendary percussionist played on over 6,000 tracks, recorded with 972 different artists, and participated in projects that led to 161 Grammy nods and 59 wins, with 180 gold and platinum singles and albums. Even so, most Brazilians have never heard his name.
Until now. AlmapBBDO and Johnnie Walker are giving him the spotlight he deserves on the cultural stage. The campaign is a part of the music platform, Steps that Change the Rhythm of the World, launched by Johnnie Walker in 2025 as a natural evolution of its historical aim of inspiring progress.
“Some Brazilian artists have gotten more recognition abroad than at home, including some big names in bossa nova,” stated Guilherme Martins, CMO of Diageo Brasil. “Today, Brazilian culture is being celebrated more than ever, and it’s become a real source of pride, especially when that brilliance translates into recognition at major awards. When we look at Paulinho’s trajectory and everything he’s done, it just doesn’t make sense: he’s on thousands of songs, the biggest albums, the most iconic soundtracks in history, and even so, too few Brazilians know who he is. Paulinho da Costa’s story is made up of steps that changed music and echo to this day – and that’s why we want to celebrate him.”
Paulinho is the star of a new campaign by Johnnie Walker, built around a manifesto film to celebrate his career and cultural impact. Set to “All Night Long,” by Lionel Richie, the film connects famous rhythms to the journey of an artist who built up his career step by step, crossed borders and helped shape the sound of global classics. By telling this story, the brand reinforces its connection to stories of progress and movements that shaped pop culture as we know it.
The initiative is part of the brand’s cultural movement of highlighting trajectories that transformed music, in step with its broader global platform. As part of the campaign, the brand also financed a documentary about Paulinho da Costa, directed by Oscar Rodrigues Alves and produced by Alan Terpins. The film, to be launched on streaming in the first semester of 2026, will depict his life and work, with interviews with some of the biggest artists and producers in music history, from Quincy Jones to Will.i.am.
“Music is one of the clearest expressions of progress you can find. It crosses generations, connects people, and helps transform society – and that’s exactly what Johnnie Walker has always supported,” noted Paloma di Santo, director of Scotch Marketing for Diageo. “In Brazil, we’ve entered the territory through our ‘Steps that Change the Rhythm of the World’ platform, which connects music, culture, and immersive experiences to bring iconic stories and journeys to an even larger audience.”
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Paulinho began playing percussion instruments at the tender age of five, in the early 1950s, and embarked on a remarkable career in international music. Not only did he work with artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Céline Dion, and Earth, Wind & Fire, Paulinho also released six albums of his own, in which he blends jazz, funk, Latin rhythms, and Afro-Brazilian influences. He also contributed to over 350 films, composing or playing on legendary soundtracks including The Color Purple, Saturday Night Fever, Dirty Dancing, Purple Rain, Jurassic Park, Transformers, Mission: Impossible, Hairspray, and Indiana Jones, to name just a few – with tracks that racked up 12 Oscars. A multi-instrumentalist, Paulinho plays over 200 percussion instruments from a variety of cultures, and has acheived global recognition as an authority in his field.
This celebration is poised to peak in a historic landmark. In 2026, Paulinho da Costa will become the first person born in Brazil to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“It was embarrassing to realise we didn’t have the faintest idea of who he was, but we all knew the songs he gave his rhythm to,” stated Edu Lima, Pedro Corbett, and Rodrigo Adam, executive creative directors at AlmapBBDO.
“This project couldn’t mean more to me. Music has always been my path, and to see this story being told and celebrated in such a beautiful way fills me with pride and joy,” Paulinho added.
Globally, Johnnie Walker’s musical initiatives have included partnerships with Sabrina Carpenter, the brand’s ambassador. In Brazil, apart from supporting artists, festivals, and cultural projects, the brand received a Grand Prix at Cannes for “Errata 88,” the campaign that finally gave Alaíde Costa, one of the founding mothers of bossa nova, her dues – correcting a historical wrong.
Credits:
Client: Diageo [Johnnie Walker]
Client Team: Guilherme Martins, Paloma Di Santo, Isabela Zyad, Giane Binek, Fernando Motta, Gabriela Lisboa & Carolina Parasmo
Agency: AlmapBBDO
President and CEO: Filipe Bartholomeu
CCO: Pernil
VPs of Creative: Fernando Duarte and Henrique Del Lama
Executive Creative Directors: Edu Lima, Pedro Corbett & Rodrigo Adam
Creative Director: Eduardo Vares
Creatives: Caique Laguno, Gus Souza & Malu Romani
Head of Design & Craft: Eric Benitez
CSO: João Gabriel Fernandes
Planners: David Gross, Isabella Ayub, Flavia Antoniolli & Ed Amorim
COO: Rafaela Alves
Client Services: Renata Carvalho, Isabela Crestana, Patricia Penteado, Gabriel Santos & Giovanna Reis
Content: Marcela Ramos, Mariana Queiroz, and Daniel Coelho
AV Production: Diego Villas Bôas, Charles Nobili, Aline Silva, Marcia Granja & Giuliano Springhetti
PR: Almap and Giusti
Image Production: Nuclear
Director: Oscar Rodrigues Alves
Executive Director: Alan Terpins
Executive Producers: Justin Oberman And Matthew Zamias
Production Manager: Mary Leake
Assistant Production Manager: Alexa Hodzic
Line Producer: Justin Oberman
1st Assistant Director: Kyle Shea
2nd Assistant Director: Andrei Osyka
DoP: Darran Tiernan
Editing: Oscar Rodrigues Alves
Colour Grading & VFX Alexandre Cruz
Still Photography: Terence Patrick
Still Photography Assistant: Peter Wintersteller
Audio Production: Cabaret
Musical & Executive Production: Guile Oliveira
Post-Production: Rafael Laurenti and Lucas Comparato
Music Licensing Partner: Suba
Record Label: Universal Music Brasil
PR – Client: PROS
Content Production Company: trine.cc
