Gov. Kim Reynolds has a unique new initiative to try and grow the state’s population.

It involves a little “Candid Camera-style” advertisement where a fake real estate office was set up in New York City.

“So, these are all up and coming neighborhoods close to microbreweries. A bunch of these properties are near James Beard award-winning restaurants,” an actor hired to portray a real estate agent told customers.

The office highlighted some amazing properties for rent and sale and prospective customers were shocked by the amazing amenities and prices. But the biggest surprise was the location of the properties – Iowa.

“These are like apartments I would very much imagine seeing in New York,” said one customer. Another customer said, “This has opened my eyes, I’m going to look into Iowa.

The video aims to reverse troubling trends. Two-thirds of Iowa’s counties have lost population this decade. No state’s population grew slower than Iowa’s over the past century.

The governor’s office says the “This is Iowa” campaign will target audiences outside the state to show what it’s really like to visit, live, and work here — hopefully showing that Iowa can compete with many more-populated states.

“This is a competitive environment that we live in. And that’s why programs like ‘This is Iowa’ and ‘Future Ready Iowa’, reducing taxes, the great quality of life that we have, broadband expansion – all of that goes into making us more competitive,” said Gov. Reynolds.

The campaign is being paid for by the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

Watch the video below: