Sign in / up

back to article GSMA: Er, sorry about that MWC brothel ad with our logo

Mobile World Congress organiser the GSMA has issued an apology for the use of its logo on a website advertising a Barcelona brothel, but has been unable to do anything about a large poster which sits next to a Samsung advert. Visitors to Mobile World Congress are used to the route from the airport to the city imploring the 90, …

COMMENTS

Post your comment
House rules Send corrections
Add to 'My topics' unstar *
  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Apricots"

    So presumably it involves small & firm peaches then?

    2 0 Reply
    1. Elmer Phud
      Reply Icon

      That's just the adverts -- you may find that you get slightly over-ripe friut instead.

      3 0 Reply
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Does it depend on the time of year or does the Spanish climate allow apricots to be grown year round?

        0 0 Reply
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      With nuts in?

      0 0 Reply
  2. Martin Summers Silver badge

    Exploitation?

    I go to work every day and get paid (no not for that). Am I being exploited? I choose to do it. So do they. It's only when they are not choosing it's a problem.

    Stop being so bloody prudish.

    32 0 Reply
    1. The Crow From Below
      Reply Icon

      Re: Exploitation?

      "I go to work every day and get paid. Am I being exploited?"

      Yes....Yes, you are!

      7 0 Reply
    2. Snivelling Wretch
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      Re: Exploitation?

      Stop being so bloody prudish pruneish.

      5 0 Reply
    3. codejunky Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Exploitation?

      @ Martin Summers

      You got there before me. Who are they to look down on someones career choice?

      9 0 Reply
    4. BasicChimpTheory
      Reply Icon

      Re: Exploitation?

      "(no not for that)"

      There's your answer right there.

      (Hint: you felt the need to make the distinction)

      5 0 Reply
    5. JDX Gold badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Exploitation?

      Oh look, a man is in favour of prostitution. Stop the press.

      7 14 Reply
      1. Loyal Commenter Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: Exploitation?

        Oh look, a man is in favour of prostitution. Stop the press.

        Nobody in their right mind is going to claim that there is no exploitation of women in the sex industry. On the other hand, prostitution is not going to go away just because people don't like it, and it doesn't have to involve exploitation, in the sense of women being forced to do something against their will. There are plenty of examples of women selling sex because they choose to.

        The correct attitude, in terms of reducing such exploitation, would appear to be legalisation and regulation of the sex industry. Since prostitution is legal in Barcelona, it seems perfectly reasonable to assume that such businesses should be permitted to advertise.

        The flip side, of course, is that if you criminalise prostitution, you push it underground. You end up with what is a growing, and real, problem in the UK and other countries, where women and girls are forced into sex work against their will by organised criminal gangs. They may be beaten or drugged and are often smuggled from one country to another, so they are frightened about their legal status and are unfamiliar with the local language, so cannot seek help. Prudishness does nothing to help such victims.

        20 0 Reply
      2. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Exploitation?

        Oh look, a woman is against it. Stop it again!

        4 0 Reply
    6. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Exploitation?

      "Am I being exploited?"

      If you do not control the means of production, and do not get to decide what to do with the surplus, then yes.

      7 3 Reply
      1. Heathroi
        Reply Icon

        Re: Exploitation?

        No you just choose to accept a stipend regularly instead of taking the risk of that surplus coming in later.

        3 1 Reply
    7. Beau
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Up

      Re: Exploitation?

      Just an up vote for you sir!

      0 0 Reply
  3. Graham Marsden
    Facepalm

    Exploitation...

    ... it's ok if *we* are doing it...

    2 0 Reply
  4. smudge
    Coat

    Seems very appropriate

    Mobile World Congress. An accurate and concise description of what happens in a brothel near an airport.

    10 0 Reply
  5. leaway2

    Shouldn't it be "queso grande"

    6 0 Reply
    1. Simon Harris
      Reply Icon

      Maybe, although GSM did originally stand for Groupe Spécial Mobile and was developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute based in Sophia-Antipolis, France.

      However, the GSMA board is listed at http://www.gsma.com/aboutus/leadership/gsma-board so that's quite a multi-lingual cheeseboard.

      0 0 Reply
  6. Eddy Ito
    Coat

    I suppose if they do "address these issues in the future" the brothel may resort to viral marketing.

    3 0 Reply
  7. JDX Gold badge

    They don't seem very discreet. They've got a bloody great sign on view.

    3 0 Reply
  8. Mark 85

    If GSMA is upset out this

    they can go somewhere else.... maybe Bangkok?

    1 0 Reply
  9. Mike Shepherd

    Exploitation of women?

    I always thought that prostitution was the exploitation of men.

    13 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Exploitation of women?

      "I always thought prostitution was the exploitation of men."

      It can be both, or neither. A bit like marriage, depending on how honest and sincere the parties involved are (or are not).

      1 0 Reply
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Exploitation of women?

        Marriage is more expensive. You pay for it in the end.

        Anon for obvious reason.

        3 0 Reply
  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Increduble assumption that its women, men sell their wares too. And you can ride a donkey at the beach (before its thrown off a roof ) too. Its not all weasels on woodcocks @ MWC!

    2 0 Reply
  11. chivo243 Silver badge

    Location, location, location

    Give the marketing guy for the billboard company a huge thumbs up. If you can't get your company in the best location, get your advertising there... hookers and hotels? Classic

    A happy ending for all!

    1 0 Reply
  12. Morrie Wyatt
    Thumb Up

    So the advertising worked?

    Clean up the "mass act of congress"

    0 0 Reply
  13. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Marketing Guru

    Seems to me the marketing gurus are promoting themselves on both sides of this story!

    0 0 Reply
  14. Carlito

    And this year they asked directly to Apricots to remove their ads from the billboard ! I don't know what is wrong with them, if the girls from Apricots are working there by fully-assumed choice... And above all, this kind of clubs is legal in Spain! It was the first time I saw ads from an escort agency, and I think they had the "balls" to do it! It's respectable!

    0 0 Reply

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

Forgotten password ?

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon