New Homewood Marketing Campaign Takes Aim At City Dwellers

HOMEWOOD, IL - For years, those who live within the limits of the city of Chicago have poked fun at suburbanites who claim to be from "Chicago." In the era of memes, it's become a common joke that people from the likes of Schaumburg, Naperville and Joliet aren't actually from Chicago even though some might claim they are.

Remember this? 'Bruh, You're From Evanston'

Well now, one suburb is fighting back. And they're doing it in a pretty creative way.

The village of Homewood, a quaint Chicago suburb located about 30 minutes south of the city toward Indiana, has unveiled its new marketing campaign. "Think Homewood" consists of three comic strips that highlight different aspects of life in Homewood. They touch on the good life in the suburb like having the Homewood Science Center, "award-winning" Homewood-Flossmoor High School and easily accessible Park District programs.

The three scenarios depicted in the comics are based on actual Homewood residents and events, according to the campaign. They can be found on the new 'Think Homewood' website and will be made into interior rail cards on the CTA Blue Line this year. Posters of the comic strips will also be at several CTA stations and along streets in a number of city neighborhoods, including Hyde Park, Woodlawn, Bridgeport, Pilsen, McKinley Park, Wicker Park and Logan Square.

The ads poke a little bit of fun at some of the hardships facing residents of those neighborhoods.

"Somewhere in Logan-Wicker Ukie Village" is how the scene is depicted in one of the comics, while another refers to a place as "Wicker-Humboldt-Pilsen."

One scenario shows how a family in Wicker Park had to cancel taco night after forgetting to pick up avocados from the grocery store because that would mean having to find parking at the store and then again close to home after 6 p.m. But "Meanwhile in Homewood," the ad shows, taco night plans are on even though they forgot the avocados because parking isn't a problem there.

Another comic shows how in the city many family programs are too expensive and fill up quickly, while in Homewood there's still a chance to sign up just a day before it begins.

From the 'Think Homewood' website: We love Chicago as much as you do, but sometimes you need a change of scenery. If you’re thinking of a diverse, creative, affordable burb with award-winning schools, parks and library - Think Homewood.

“It’s exciting to have Homewood represented in this creative and dynamic way, which really represents our unique spirit,” Homewood Village President Richard Hofeld said. “This is the beginning of a campaign to let Chicagoans know about the wonderful amenities of Homewood and to make a sincere pitch to city dwellers to ‘Think Homewood’ so they can make the right move.”

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The comics are the work of Marc Alan Fishman, a Homewood-based comic book artist and graphic designer. They are one part of a larger campaign that will also include digital advertising and an increased social media presence, the village stated in a news release. Live reads of the comics will occur on WBEZ-FM during drive times.

Photos provided by Village of Homewood