Going Native: São Paulo

Mayra Auad, partner and executive producer, Your Mama, São Paulo, suggests making firm plans when choosing from the city’s thousands of watering holes

What is the best thing about working in advertising in São Paulo?

The variety of people, projects and possibilities.

What is the worst thing about working in advertising in São Paulo?

The hurry and the budgets. Everything is always due yesterday and has to cost half of what it actually costs. But from what I hear, that is pretty much the same everywhere these days.

If you are booking a hotel in São Paulo, where would you choose to stay?

Unique or Emiliano. They are both extremely confortable and well located. Unique is a very modern hotel, close to Ibirapuera Park and a lot of the agencies, as well as to Your Mama. Emiliano is right in the middle of Jardins, the neighbourhood with some of the best restaurants, bars and shops in the city.

What advice would you give to a visitor?

Plan ahead. São Paulo has a lot of options and if you don’t plan you may end up in a roubada – a really bad experience!

What is the best Brazilian ad you have seen in the last year?

Leica , 100, directed by Jones+Tino. It sends its message across beautifully and poetically. It makes you want to watch it over and over again. It is out of the ordinary and different from what we see every day. It has been well crafted in every aspect: direction, production design, cinematography and music.

Who do you/would you love to work with in the industry?

I love working with any talented people. Young or old, famous or not, it doesn’t matter as long as they are talented. Trying to give them the best possible conditions in which to show what they are capable of, in the most adverse situations, to me is the greatest challenge and motivation in what I do.

What do you miss when you are out of the city?

The ease of 24-hour services that São Paulo offers. You can get literally anything at any time.

Where’s the best place to eat in São Paulo?

A more casual and local place is the Mercado Municipal [town market]. A beautiful place, full of fruit stands and local food options. If you want something a little fancier I suggest Maní; amazing food in a very cool atmosphere.

And the best place to have a drink?

Well, there are at least 1,000 different options. But I suggest Spot, SubAstor, and Admiral’s Place at Galeria Vermelho for both the variety of amazing drinks as well as the ambience.

If São Paulo were a product, what would it be?

One of those 20,000-piece jigsaw puzzles.

What’s São Paulo’s favourite pastime?

Walking around at the weekend to see the things you never have the chance to during the week: antique fairs, Ibirapuera Park, the music at Bexiga flea market, the Masp museum and the fair at Liberdade, the biggest Japanese colony outside of Japan.