The craft brewing community was thrilled when Stone Brewing sent out
a call for proposals to cities
“east of the Mississippi” that would vie
for its new facility.
This venture promised to bring a $30-74M operation to the other half of the country and initiate similar operations across the Atlantic. With its burgeoning craft brewing industry, Norfolk immediately set to the task of singling out itself among fierce competition.
As creative lead of the very small team working with the city’s Department of Development, we have launched the confidential project in three phases involving edgy print, packaging and digital components.
The result: Norfolk edged out other known cities such as Philadelphia and Charlotte to become a Top 3 Finalist.
ROLE: ART DIRECTOR
PHASE 01 : Chest of Local Beers
The team decided that a handmade, green solution would be key to getting Stone’s attention. Staying true to Norfolk’s roots as a shipping port, a local artisan went on board to craft a recyclable “treasure chest” made of local wood. Inside was a flight rack which contained the best local brews to showcase the region’s budding craft beer industry.
For an added touch, a flight tray inspired by Stone’s gargoyle brand was included, along with the state’s finest — nothing else but good ol’ fashioned Virginia peanuts!
There was an empty beer spot inviting Stone to fill with one of their brews:
“The only thing missing is you.”
PHASE 02 : Digital Fly-through
In keeping with the artisan craft theme, a smaller handmade chest shortly followed the first. Inside was a flash drive bottle opener and directions to view the animation piece on a computer.
When played, a digital fly-through video narrating the key pitch showcased the advantages of bringing Stone Brewery to the Norfolk region.
Phase 3: Poster invitation to Beer Festival
As finale, an actual invitation to visit Norfolk took the form of a tongue-in-cheek poster. Accompanying this were plane tickets and an itinerary for a fun-filled weekend of exploring the local culture.
Upon arriving, the honored guests were treated to a helicopter ride for an aerial experience of the proposal. They then enjoyed an an exclusive farm-to-table reception featuring Stone Brewery's craft beers paired with the regional cuisine.
