ANA Sends Letter to Illinois Congressional Delegation on Ad Taxes

Today, ANA sent a letter to all members of the Illinois delegation to Congress urging them to protect the tax deductibility of advertising.  This letter goes out in advance of the Brand Activation Association’s 36th Annual Marketing Law Conference in Chicago, which is being held November 5-7.  Advertising expenditures account for $267 billion of economic output in Illinois – that is 17.3 percent of the $1.54 trillion total economic output in the state.  Advertising-driven sales of products and services also help support 16.5 percent of the 5.8 million jobs in the state.

ANA’s letter explains that the recent proposals in Congress to reduce the tax deductibility of advertising would represent a drastic shift from over 100 years of protection in the tax code.  The letter calls on the representatives to actively oppose any tax on advertising because of its potential to seriously impact Illinois businesses’ bottom lines and jeopardize the state’s economy, jobs and sales.  Additionally, ANA highlighted the importance of the tax reform issue for the members of the Illinois delegation who are on the House Ways and Means Committee – Reps. Peter Roskam, Danny Davis, and Aaron Schock.  ANA believes that true tax reform should focus on closing loopholes and special interest write-offs that limit the competitiveness of all businesses, whether in Illinois or nationwide, instead of on penalizing companies that advertise.