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Discover Flagstaff staff pledge marketing support for Indigenous businesses after commissioners flag problematic video framing
Summary
Discover Flagstaff and Flagstaff Local staff outlined web, email and social channels and offered free marketing support and landing pages for Indigenous businesses; commissioners objected to a festival video that juxtaposed Native youth in regalia with beer-festival footage, and staff agreed to revisit the edit and return with more materials and outreach plans.
Sabrina Beard and Lori Pappas of Discover Flagstaff and Flagstaff Local presented March 5 to the Flagstaff Indigenous Commission on marketing tools and business-support options for Indigenous-owned and community businesses. Discover Flagstaff shared that its site receives roughly 3,000,000 views per year and said staff can create landing pages, blog content and social promotion to increase visibility for Indigenous businesses and events.
"Discover Flagstaff, we are never ever charging anybody for the marketing and advertising support that we do for our local businesses," Beard said, offering contact information and urging commissioners to share it with Indigenous businesses.
The presentation included sample festival videos and promotional content. Commissioner Francis objected to one festival video that intercut footage of Native youth in regalia with beer-festival shots and asked staff to be careful about how those images might be read. "Why would you highlight native people with beer?" Francis asked, warning that the juxtaposition could send a problematic message.
Lori Pappas acknowledged the concern and encouraged the group to replay the video for review; Discover Flagstaff committed to revisiting the video groupings and to consider reorganizing content so cultural and heritage events are not conflated with food-and-beverage segments. Several commissioners echoed the concern and urged clearer delineation in creative materials.
Beyond editorial changes, the staff and commissioners discussed practical steps to connect Indigenous entrepreneurs to marketing support: creating landing pages, including Indigenous businesses in Flagstaff Local and Discover Flagstaff content, using Flagstaff 365 events listings and attending powwows and community gatherings to gather information and promote opportunities. David McIntyre described both tourism-focused and non-tourism business-support programs and suggested working with Local First and school partners to secure low-cost tabling and outreach.
Staff asked to return with additional slides and a fuller presentation focused on non-tourism business supports; commissioners agreed to schedule a longer follow-up and to help identify community events and elder groups for outreach. No formal action was taken on marketing materials at this meeting.
