IDAs and Discover Long Island join in marketing effort

All eight of Long Island’s industrial development agencies and Discover Long Island are teaming up for a new marketing campaign.

The agencies are applying for a National Grid grant to help fund the collaborative effort aimed at attracting new businesses and retaining those already here, according to a joint statement.

The new tourism/business branding campaign, dubbed “BeLONG on Long Island,” will target new consumer and business attraction markets to raise awareness of Long Island as an ideal place to visit, conduct business or relocate. These efforts include market-wide advertising, digital and print marketing and collateral, lead generation initiatives, social activations, fulfillment endeavors and more, all designed to positively influence business attraction efforts and further stimulate the Long Island economy, according to the statement.

The proposed budget for the campaign is $100,000, with the regional IDAs contributing $50,000. If approved, the National Grid grant would reimburse the remaining $50,000. Discover Long Island would serve as contractor for the project, designing and producing marketing materials and placing ads. Each IDA will need approval from their respective boards to enter into the partnership.

“We are excited to work collaboratively with our IDA colleagues to further the overall mission that Long Island is open for business,” Harry Coghlan, CEO of the Nassau County IDA, said in the statement. “Kristen and her team at Discover Long Island have proven to successfully improve the Long Island brand, and we are grateful for their support in spearheading this mission.”

Bill Mannix, executive director of the Islip IDA, points out that local economic development organizations all across the country band together to market on a regional basis.

“Long Island’s EDO’s need to recognize the benefit of regional branding and marketing by pooling their resources and acting collectively,” Mannix said in the statement.

According to a 2019 “Long Island Perception” study, conducted by Longwoods International and funded by National Grid, Discover Long Island, MCLI, HIA-LI, LIU and Long Island MacArthur Airport, name recognition was high for Long Island, but little was known about the destination from a live-work-play perspective. The findings highlight the region’s struggles to attract and retain businesses and talent in an increasingly competitive market and the need to combat the growing trend of Long Island residents, particularly young and well-educated residents, choosing to leave the region.

“Research confirms that Long Island is a brand with strong name recognition, and it has been proven that increasing visitation to a destination leads to a more favorable perception and ultimately increased economic opportunities,” Kristen Jarnagin, president and CEO of Discover Long Island, said in the statement. “We applaud our partners in economic development for initiating this groundbreaking collaboration that will increase awareness of Long Island as a wonderful place to visit, live and thrive in business. We look forward to promoting Long Island as a place where visitors and businesses BeLONG.”