In Paris, Cityscoot distributes fake parking tickets to promote its brand

A False Fine but a Real Stressful Surprise for Those Who Found It on Their Scooter.

On September 1st, parking for motorized two-wheelers will become paid in Paris. This measure currently only affects scooters and thermal motorcycles, and companies selling or renting electric models are rubbing their hands and increasing marketing campaigns as the deadline approaches.

In this context, Cityscoot launched a rather bold advertising campaign. The idea? Hang a fake €35 ticket on the handlebars of parked two-wheelers in Paris.

Green background, tricolor logo vaguely reminiscent of Marianne from the parking tickets, no clear mention of the company: everything is designed to make this fake ticket look as much as possible like a real one. Below the prominently displayed fine amount, Cityscoot wrote the following text:

“Dear Sir/Madam,
This is the amount of your next ticket! Starting from 09/01/2022, parking for thermal two-wheelers becomes payable in Paris”. The operator also offers a promotional code to anyone who joins its customer base.

Cityscoot, a really interesting solution financially?

Renting scooters on a pay-as-you-go basis can be a convenient solution for short, occasional trips. However, this type of service remains too costly for daily use. At Cityscoot, each minute costs 39 cents. A 30-minute ride—quite a standard duration for commuting—already costs €11.70. Like its competitors Cooltra and Yego, Cityscoot offers packages with lower per-minute rates, but even with these options, short-term rental of an electric scooter is not exactly cheap.

Read also: Test of Cityscoot scooter rental: versatile, practical, but expensive