It's A Bug Story, Baby Just Say 'Yes': Homewood's 'Cicada Era' Campaign Wins National Award

HOMEWOOD, IL — The Village of Homewood has been recognized for its creativity in melding the cicada craze of 2024 and pop music icon Taylor Swift into an informational campaign about the insect invasion.

The Village was honored with a Silver Circle Award for its “Cicada Era: The Homewood Tour” campaign at the annual 3CMA (City-County Communications and Marketing Association) conference, held Sept. 3–5 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Homewood earned recognition in the category of “Most Creative Activity With Least Dollars Spent,” distinguishing itself as the only south suburban village to be named a finalist. The village joined five other Illinois municipalities in contention for various award categories including Aurora, Downers Grove, Buffalo Grove, Lake Forest and Glenview. There were over 1,200 entries nationwide for the 2025 Savvy Awards.

The award-winning campaign was launched during Illinois’ historic double brood cicada emergence earlier this year. Tasked with educating the community while keeping messaging fun and engaging, Homewood’s Communications and Engagement Manager Antonia Steinmiller drew inspiration from Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour. She reimagined Swift’s iconic album covers with cicadas and paired them with themed cicada facts which included an “Easter egg” song title in every blurb.

“This is a fun, culturally relevant campaign that successfully captured attention and brought joy to residents. The Taylor Swift tie-in was creative and well-executed, with impressive media coverage and fundraising results,” said a 3CMA judge. “A lighthearted, feel-good entry that shines more as pop culture commentary.”

The “album drops” rolled out weekly on social media leading up to the cicada emergence, sparking community buzz and widespread attention. What began as a playful campaign quickly grew into a pop culture phenomenon. Residents and visitors clamored for merchandise, leading to the production of limited-edition tour poster t-shirts that sold out twice through Village Hall pop-ups and online sales. Orders poured in from across Illinois and beyond, connecting Swifties, science enthusiasts and Homewood locals.

In addition to its creative impact, the campaign also gave back to the community. Proceeds from merchandise sales supported ANEW: Building Beyond Violence and Abuse, a Homewood-based nonprofit dedicated to assisting survivors of domestic violence.

“This award is a testament to how creativity, humor and community pride can turn a simple idea into something extraordinary,” Steinmiller said. “We’re proud to show that Homewood can stand out on a national stage with a project that was both fun and impactful.”

For more information, visit www.homewoodil.gov.