Nassau launches TV ad to woo investment from N.J., Conn., London

Nassau County this week is launching a television commercial to encourage investments in the county by businesses in New Jersey, Connecticut — and even Britain.

The 30-second commercial, produced and paid for by the county’s Industrial Development Agency, is a departure from two previous ad campaigns because it’s focused on attracting companies from outside Long Island and New York State.

“You have to play offense and defense at the same time,” said IDA Executive Director Joseph J. Kearney. “We wanted to take our message to the next level. . . . We believe the opportunity is ripe for the county.”

The ad initiative, with a $200,000 price tag, comes as economic development officials from Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and other states continue to woo businesses from Long Island.

The ad was paid for with fee income that the IDA receives from companies applying for tax incentives.

In May, the Suffolk County IDA unveiled an ad campaign on radio and the internet to attract companies from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other states along the Eastern Seaboard. That campaign cost $200,000.

The Nassau TV commercial touts recent job creation numbers, low unemployment, construction of apartments near Long Island Rail Road stations, and expansion projects by local factories, hospitals and technology firms.

There are video shots of the new Dealertrack headquarters going up in North Hills, production work at drugmaker PL Developments in Westbury and Supreme Screw Products in Plainview, and scientific experiments at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola — all of which received tax breaks from the IDA.

There also is a listing of other IDA beneficiaries including Amazon.com and the Hain Celestial Group. The ad was produced by Todd Shapiro Associates Public Relations, which has offices in Garden City and Manhattan.

IDA board members are appointed by Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano. He is named twice in the commercial, but his picture does not appear.

Nicholas T. Terzulli, the IDA’s business development director, said the commercial will air for two weeks this month and two weeks in November on the Optimum and FiOS TV systems. Optimum is owned by Altice USA, which also owns 25 percent of Newsday Media Group.

Terzulli said the ad would also air on London Live, a 24-hour channel in the British capital. He said the IDA decided to expand its marketing effort to Britain after the June 23 Brexit vote to leave the European Union.

“There’s uncertainty for businesses now,” Terzulli said, referring to Brexit. “Some may want to establish a base here, and Nassau County is close to Manhattan, the airports and the stock market.”

The Association for a Better Long Island, which represents some of the region’s largest real estate developers and landlords, said in July that some of its members hoped to serve businesses worried about the implications of Britain’s leaving the European Union. At that time, Mangano said his administration would try to assist association members.