Homewood Unveils New Slogan: ‘You’re in the Right Place’

“You’re in the right place.” 

Homewood Marketing Director Rachael Jones announced the new slogan to 150 local business leaders during Tuesday morning’s 15th annual economic development breakfast.

Beyond the new slogan is a comprehensive marketing strategy involving a united local business window cling-on campaign, a series of local promotional videos and even a public art exhibition sometime next year. The exhibition will offer residents and artists the ability to decorate fiberglass map marker icons based on the new logos, similar to the “Cows on Parade” initiative in Chicago some years ago. The artwork will eventually be placed in prominent spaces throughout the village.

Residents can also be on the look out for street banners popping up sometime this summer. They’ll be sporting the cohesive new marketing aesthetic crafted by local firm Yellow Barn Design.

“We developed the Homewood logo with the idea of identifying Homewood's rightful place on the map and in people's awareness,” Yellow Barn Design’s Adam Middleton said in a press release. “It's a very livable, diverse and accessible place with a great education base, as well as business opportunities. (Our) design strives to reinforce that Homewood is seen as a friendly, small town, and welcoming to newcomers.”

Jones said her inspiration for the new slogan came to her two years ago during a tour of the Ravislow Country Club grounds, shortly after it was purchased by Dr. Claude Gendreau.

“We were really talking about it becoming the next Ravinia South,” Jones said. “I remember an internal voice saying, ‘you’re in the right place.’”

The village has been working on reviewing their marketing strategy and rebranding over the past couple years. According to Jones, Homewood is a product, and it has competition.

“We had to think about what message we are sending to the outside area,” Jones said. “We want to be a community of choice.”

According to Jones, now is the ideal time to unveil the new campaign.

"We knew it would be perfectly coupled with the announcement of the boutique hotel," Jones said, also referencing the promise of several new businesses such as The Cottage on Dixie and a proposed wine and beer shop for the old Hollywood Video location at 183rd and Dixie Highway.

The new program has the full support and blessing of Village President Richard Hofeld and the village board. Their committment along the way has afforded Jones and her team the flexibility and creativity to execute the campaign, she said.

“This is the 'Right Place' for so many amenities that make a good quality of life,” Hofeld said in a release. “This is the right place for a quick commute being only 40 minutes from downtown; the right place for fun with over 61 outdoor festivals each year; the right place to raise a family, the right place for a first-rate education and the right place for unique shopping and dining experiences.”