Craft breweries, neolocalism and visual social media marketing

Purpose Craft breweries have a growing role in the beer tourism niche as a place-based attraction but also in daily life as a community space. Research has examined how such breweries can appeal to both tourist and local markets through neolocalism in the form of place branding and local embeddedness. This paper aims to consider the extent to which breweries communicate neolocal themes in visual social media marketing through Instagram images. Design/methodology/approach This research examines 3,299 Instagram images posted on the official accounts of 13 Houston, Texas (USA) microbreweries and taproom breweries over the course of 2022. Content-semiotic analysis identifies key themes in these images and explores the extent to which breweries signify neolocal themes through these images. Findings Manifest image content generally appeals to interests in consuming beer and communicates logistical information about if, and when, to visit the brewery. Elements in Instagram images have the potential to convey meanings about neolocalism in the craft beer product, branding, local embeddedness and place-based experiences but such strategies have not been extensively developed or used. Originality/value Although both academic and industry sources recognize the importance of social media and visual content in connecting with potential consumers, to the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to examine the extent to which breweries employ neolocal strategies through social media marketing.