New Realm Brewing

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH COLLABORATION

One example that stands out to me is our collaboration with the Virginia Arts Festival for the 2026 International Tattoo. The International Tattoo is a globally recognized event and the largest of its kind in North America, so producing the beer for the event was a great way for New Realm to become more rooted in the Norfolk community while continuing to support the military, which has such a strong presence in Hampton Roads. 

I coordinated with our brewing team to get the beer canned, worked with our graphic designer and compliance team on the label, and partnered with VAF on a community naming contest for the beer. We also hosted a launch party that was open to the community, with the Tidewater Pipes & Drums performing, and the event was picked up by WAVY TV 10.

It became much more than putting our name on an event. It gave the community an opportunity to participate in something we were creating together. 

CHOOSING PURPOSE OVER EXPOSURE

The most important piece is that it has to make sense and be easily woven into your brand's voice and mission. New Realm is a brewery that is welcoming to everyone, and collaborating with an event that brings together military members from around the world was something that naturally aligned with our brand ideology.

If you partner with everyone simply because you want to get your name out there, the value of those partnerships starts to diminish. I think customers can tell when a brand is genuinely connected to something versus when they are just looking for exposure. 

BALANCING FINANCIAL AND COMMUNITY VALUE

We look at the overall financial contribution, but we also ask whether the opportunity makes sense for our brand and our community. Sometimes those two things do not perfectly align.  

For example, we were the beer sponsor for the Norfolk Tourism Foundation's annual golf tournament. Financially, it was not necessarily the strongest opportunity, but the tournament raises money for scholarships for students pursuing hospitality or culinary education, which directly connects to the restaurant side of our business. 

We are also the Official Craft Beer of Old Dominion University, and ODU is deeply connected to the tournament and the students who have received those scholarships. That made the partnership valuable beyond a traditional financial return.

CREATING LOYALTY THROUGH SHARED EXPERIENCES

The experience people have with the restaurant, the beer and our events is something that a lot of breweries try to create but do not always execute well. At New Realm, we do not just have great beer and good food, we take every aspect of the business seriously.

Our event coordinators create thoughtful experiences that resonate with the community, our chefs develop specialty menus each quarter using locally sourced ingredients, our brewers work to create award-winning beers that stand out on the shelf, and our front-of-house team knows the food and beer and gives customers a place to relax. Those are the things that create memories and relationships with customers that an Instagram post or email simply cannot replicate.

MAKING RELATIONSHIPS THE FOUNDATION OF MARKETING

I would tell people to look at the brands they admire, identify what they are doing well and then figure out what they are lacking. How can you stand apart?

Take risks on events and ideas, but most importantly, build a community of relationships with local city and state partners. Who you know is just as important as what you know. You can have the best and most original ideas, but if you do not have partnerships and a community to support them, they are not going to succeed.

Marketing is ultimately about people, and the stronger relationships you build around your brand, the more opportunities you create to do meaningful work.