The initiative follows the city council's tourist board retaining Ian Weightman Media Services, after a pitch process.
Weightman said the drive to strengthen the city's link with real ale was part of wider efforts to promote the city as a destination for visitors.
'I think it's a powerful hook because it's something that would probably pick up some interest, as it has that degree of quirkiness about it,' he said.
'We would be looking to put a contemporary slant on it.'
The brief, put out by the Derby City Council tourism team, sought to increase footfall in tourism industry-related businesses by five per cent annually.
It also acknowledged that 'the city suffers from low awareness both as a leisure visit and conference/events destination'.
Weightman added: 'With cities such as Derby, one element of it is the need to change perceptions.
'There are several post-industrial cities that aren't always viewed in tourism terms as a short-break destination, so we need to get the message out about the regeneration that the city has gone through.'