Advertisements for sex workers used to be on the disappearing streetcars and phone booths in São Paulo, so now they are being placed on rented electronic scooters throughout the capital.
This Friday (19), in Pinheiros, one of the wealthiest districts of São Paulo and where the scooters are already part of the day-to-day, ten units were spotted with these advertisements. The ads are small stickers attached to the scooters' handlebars and include names, descriptions, phones, and addresses of several homes.
According to one of the girls who uses the space for advertisements and preferred not to be identified, the idea of gluing the stickers on the scooters came to reach a wider audience. "Before, we publicized in the payphones, but as they are being withdrawn from the city, gluing them on the scooters is more effective," she said.
On the street, scooter users noticed the ads, but they said they do not bother with them. "It's like a street pamphlet, for those who are not interested, it will not make a difference. For those who are, it will be useful," said student Wellington Lima, 19.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon