Bossa Nova is a 100% Brazilian musical genre that, like samba, conquered the entire world with songs like "The Girl from Ipanema." However, while the founding fathers of Bossa Nova (all white men) gained international fame, one of its mothers, Alaíde Costa, was forgotten.

The reason? Alaíde was a Black woman in a time dominated by sexism and racial prejudice. She often heard that Black women should only sing samba. She was overlooked by major media and record labels and, on more than one occasion, had to enter music venues through the back door. As if all that wasn't enough, she wasn't invited to the 1962 show at Carnegie Hall which introduced Bossa Nova to the world.

In 2023, a new show celebrating the 60th anniversary of the genre was set to take place. In the same city: New York. At the same venue: Carnegie Hall. And guess what? Once again, Alaíde was forgotten.

Johnnie Walker couldn't let this mistake happen again. As a brand that values people who take bold steps despite any obstacle, it decided to correct history and put Alaíde Costa in her rightful place: center stage.

In a multi-media campaign, JW retold the steps of this legendary figure across a variety of channels. We showed the path of a strong woman who never gave up singing what she loved in spite of ostracism, and helped Alaíde finally reach Carnegie Hall to represent Bossa Nova on the world stage.

The idea was a hit, both for Johnnie Walker and Alaíde. It caused a real national commotion and was shared on social media by thousands of people, including many celebrities.

We managed to put the spotlight back on Alaíde. And with JW's help, she was invited to sing at the show that paid tribute to Bossa Nova, at Carnegie Hall. The same venue where she’d once been forgotten.

Now, at age 88, Alaíde is finally getting what she always deserved.

+747% searches on Google.

+318% searches on YouTube.

+800% listeners on Spotify.

+500% invitations to perform at major venues.

+200% increase in her fee.

And Johnnie Walker also continued walking forward.

+ 64MM reach

174 different pieces of content created by influencers and PR

JW regained its lead as the most  loved whisky brand in the country.

JW regained its lead as the most distinctive brand in the spirits category.

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