Tax 11.70(1)(d)(d) “Finished artwork” means the final artwork used for actual reproduction by photomechanical or other processes or for display purposes, but does not include web site or home page designs. Finished artwork also includes drawings, paintings, designs, photographs, lettering, paste-ups, mechanicals, assemblies, charts, graphs, and illustrative materials, regardless of whether such items are reproduced. Tax 11.70(1)(e)(e) “Preliminary artwork” means artwork prepared solely for presenting an idea to a client or prospective client. Preliminary artwork includes roughs, visualizations, sketches, layouts, and comprehensives. Tax 11.70(2)(2) Taxable sales. The following sales are subject to Wisconsin sales or use tax, unless an exemption in sub. (3) applies: Tax 11.70(2)(a)(a) Charges for finished artwork. Finished artwork is tangible personal property, unless it is transferred electronically. Finished artwork that is transferred electronically is an additional digital good, as provided in s. 77.51 (1a), Stats. Tax 11.70(2)(b)(b) Charges for preliminary artwork all or any part of which results in the production of finished artwork or other tangible personal property or item, property, or good under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., by the advertising agency. This preliminary artwork is tangible personal property or an item or good under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (d), Stats. Tax 11.70 NoteExamples: 1) Company A contracts with an advertising agency to produce an advertising campaign for Company A’s product. The advertising agency develops 10 ideas or suggestions, in the form of preliminary artwork, for an advertising flyer. Company A selects one of the ideas, and it is developed into finished artwork, which is used to produce flyers.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe charges by the advertising agency for the production of preliminary artwork for all 10 ideas are subject to tax, provided an exemption does not apply to the sale of the finished artwork, because one idea was selected and was used to produce finished artwork.
Tax 11.70 Note2) Company B contracts with an advertising agency to produce a radio commercial. The agency produces a demonstration tape (demo) which contains several different jingles which could be used in the commercial. Company B selects one of the jingles, and the commercial is produced.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe charge by the agency for the demo is subject to tax. The demo is preliminary artwork. Since finished artwork was produced from the preliminary artwork, the charge is subject to tax, unless an exemption applies to the sale of the finished artwork.
Tax 11.70(2)(c)(c) Sales of signs, circulars, business cards, stationary showcards, banners, posters, bulletins, brochures, commercials, tapes, or other items of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats. Tax 11.70 NoteExamples: 1) Company C contracts with an advertising agency to have 10,000 advertising flyers produced. The advertising agency prepares preliminary artwork. Company C decides on one theme and the finished artwork is produced. The advertising agency has the flyers printed and delivered to Company C. Company C mails the flyers to its Wisconsin customers.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe entire charge to Company C by the advertising agency for the flyers, which includes preliminary artwork, finished artwork, and the flyers, is subject to tax.
Tax 11.70 Note2) Assume the same facts as Example 1, except that Company C mails 90% of the flyers to customers outside Wisconsin and 10% to customers in Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70 NoteTen percent of the total charge to Company C by the advertising agency for the flyers, including the preliminary artwork, finished artwork, and flyers, is subject to tax.
Tax 11.70 Note3) Company D decides to have a radio advertising campaign and contracts with an advertising agency. The advertising agency produces several advertising jingles on a “demo” tape, and Company D selects one jingle. The advertising agency then produces a master tape at its Wisconsin sound production studio. The master tape remains at the studio, and 10 copies or “dubs” are produced by the advertising agency. One dub is given to Company D, and the other 9 dubs are mailed by the advertising agency directly to various Wisconsin radio stations. The air time is arranged by Company D.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe entire charge by the advertising agency for the production of the master tape and dubs is subject to tax.
Tax 11.70 Note4) Assume the same facts as Example 3, except that 5 dubs are mailed by the advertising agency to radio stations outside Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70 NoteFifty percent of the entire charge by the advertising agency for the production of the master tape and dubs is subject to tax. The remaining 50% is not subject to tax because that portion of the sale took place outside Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70(2)(e)(e) Producing, fabricating, processing, printing, or imprinting tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., for clients for a consideration, even though the client may furnish the materials used in producing, fabricating, processing, printing, or imprinting the property, items, or goods. However, the tax does not apply to the printing or imprinting of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., that results in printed material, catalogs, or envelopes that are exempt under s. 77.54 (25), (25m), or (59), Stats. Tax 11.70(3)(3) Nontaxable sales. Charges for the following are not subject to Wisconsin sales or use tax: Tax 11.70(3)(a)(a) Preliminary artwork that does not result in the production of finished artwork or other tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company E contracts with an advertising agency for an ongoing advertising campaign. The agency submits several suggestions, in the form of preliminary artwork, for a spring advertising campaign. These ideas are rejected by Company E. The charge by the advertising agency for preliminary artwork not chosen for further development is not subject to tax, because the preliminary artwork was not developed into finished artwork.
Tax 11.70(3)(d)(d) Consultation, market research, and compiling statistical or other information. Tax 11.70(3)(e)(e) Recommendations for advertising themes or merchandising plans. Tax 11.70(3)(g)(g) Printed material, other than catalogs and the envelopes in which the catalogs are mailed, which is designed to advertise and promote the sale of merchandise, or to advertise the services of individual business firms, which is purchased and stored for the purpose of subsequently transporting it outside Wisconsin by the client for use thereafter solely outside Wisconsin. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company F contracts with an advertising agency to have 10,000 advertising flyers produced. The advertising agency prepares preliminary artwork. Company F decides on one theme and the finished artwork is produced. The advertising agency has the flyers printed and delivered to Company F. Company F mails the flyers to its customers located outside Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe entire charge to Company F by the advertising agency for the flyers, which includes preliminary artwork, finished artwork, and the flyers, is exempt from tax because the printed advertising material is transported outside Wisconsin by Company F for use by Company F outside Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70(3)(gm)(gm) Catalogs and the envelopes in which the catalogs are mailed, if the catalogs are designed to advertise and promote the sale of merchandise or to advertise the services of individual business firms. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company A contracts with an advertising agency to have 5,000 catalogs that advertise Company A’s products produced. The advertising agency has the catalogs printed. Some of the catalogs are delivered to Company A in Wisconsin and other catalogs are shipped directly to Company A’s prospective customers in and outside Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe entire charge to Company A by the advertising agency for the catalogs, which includes any charges for preliminary artwork, finished artwork, and the catalogs, is exempt from tax because catalogs and the envelopes in which they are mailed are exempt from tax, regardless of whether the catalogs are delivered in or out of Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70(3)(h)(h) Printing or imprinting tangible personal property and items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., which will be subsequently transported outside Wisconsin for use outside Wisconsin by the client for advertising purposes. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company G contracts with an advertising agency to produce an advertising flyer. The advertising agency prepares preliminary artwork. Company G decides on one theme, and the finished artwork is prepared. Company G provides the finished artwork, paper, and ink to a Wisconsin printer who prints 10,000 copies of the flyer. The flyers are mailed by Company G to addresses outside Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe charge to Company G by the printer for the printing of the flyers is exempt from tax because the flyers are transported outside Wisconsin for use outside Wisconsin by Company G for advertising purposes.
Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company H has an advertising agency produce specification sheets for Company H’s products. The specification sheets are included with the products when sold to Company H’s customers. The advertising agency produces the finished artwork and has the printing done. Company H receives an itemized bill from the advertising agency which shows a charge for the finished artwork and the printing.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe entire charge by the advertising agency to Company H is exempt from tax because the specification sheets are included with Company H’s products which will be sold to customers. Company H may claim a resale exemption for the specification sheets by providing the agency with a properly completed exemption certificate claiming resale.
Tax 11.70(3)(j)(j) Tangible personal property and items under s. 77.52 (1) (b), Stats., used exclusively and directly by a manufacturer in manufacturing an article of tangible personal property or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., that is destined for sale and becoming an ingredient or component part of the article of tangible personal property or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., destined for sale or which is consumed or destroyed or loses its identity in manufacturing the article of tangible personal property or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., in any form destined for sale. Tax 11.70 NoteExamples: 1) Company I contracts with a Wisconsin advertising agency to produce an advertising flyer. The advertising agency prepares preliminary artwork. Company I decides on one theme and the finished artwork is prepared. Company I takes the finished artwork to a Wisconsin printer and has 10,000 flyers printed. The printer uses its own paper and ink to print the flyers. The flyers are mailed by the printer to addresses in Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe charge to Company I by the advertising agency for the preliminary artwork and finished artwork is exempt from Wisconsin sales tax because the finished artwork is consumed in the production of flyers which are sold by the printer to Company I.
Tax 11.70 Note2) Assume the same facts as Example 1, except that Company I provides the paper to the printer, in addition to the finished artwork.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe charge to Company I by the Wisconsin advertising agency for the preliminary artwork and finished artwork is subject to Wisconsin sales tax. The printer is selling a printing service, and not tangible personal property or an item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., to Company I. The destined for sale requirement is not met and exemption from tax does not apply. Even though Company I is furnishing a printing service, however, it is still considered to be engaged in manufacturing, and its machinery and equipment, if used exclusively and directly in manufacturing, qualify for exemption under s. 77.54 (6) (am) 1., Stats. Tax 11.70(3)(k)(k) Tangible personal property or services that are used exclusively and directly by a manufacturer in manufacturing shoppers guides, newspapers, or periodicals and that become an ingredient or component of shoppers guides, newspapers, or periodicals or that are consumed or lose their identity in the manufacture of shoppers guides, newspapers, or periodicals, whether or not the shoppers guides, newspapers, or periodicals are transferred without charge to the recipient. This exemption does not apply to advertising supplements that are not newspapers. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company J contracts with an advertising agency to produce a shoppers guide advertisement. The advertising agency produces layouts and roughs for approval by Company J. Company J approves, and the finished artwork for the shoppers guide advertisement is produced. The preliminary artwork and finished artwork charges are billed to Company J for the job. Company J deals directly with the shoppers guide publisher to run the advertisement in a shoppers guide. The advertising agency bills Company J $1,000 for preliminary artwork and $3,000 for finished artwork.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe total $4,000 charge is exempt from Wisconsin sales or use tax because the preliminary artwork results in finished artwork and the finished artwork becomes an ingredient or component part of a shoppers guide, or is consumed or loses its identity in the manufacture of shoppers guides.
Tax 11.70(3)(L)(L) Containers, labels, sacks, cans, boxes, drums, bags, or other packaging and shipping materials for use in packing, packaging, or shipping tangible personal property or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., if the containers, labels, sacks, cans, boxes, drums, bags, or other packaging and shipping materials are used by the purchaser to transfer merchandise to customers. Also exempt are meat casing, wrapping paper, tape, containers, labels, sacks, cans, boxes, drums, bags, or other packaging and shipping materials for use in packing, packaging, or shipping meat or meat products, regardless of whether these items are used to transfer merchandise to customers. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: An advertising agency produces finished artwork to be used on Company K’s shipping boxes. The boxes are used by Company K to ship its products to its customers. The advertising agency delivers the finished artwork to a printer who uses the finished artwork to print and produce the boxes which the advertising agency resells to Company K.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe entire charge for the finished artwork and boxes is exempt from Wisconsin sales or use tax because the boxes are used by Company K in packing, packaging, or shipping merchandise to customers. Company K should provide the agency with a properly completed exemption certificate.
Tax 11.70(3)(m)(m) Raw materials processed, fabricated, or manufactured into, attached to, or incorporated into printed materials that are transported and used solely outside Wisconsin. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company A, located in Wisconsin, publishes flyers it gives away to potential customers. Company A purchases paper from a company who delivers it to a Wisconsin printer that prints the flyers for Company A. The flyers are transported and used solely outside Wisconsin.
Tax 11.70 NoteThe paper purchased by Company A for the flyers is exempt from Wisconsin sales or use tax.
Tax 11.70 NoteExample 1: Company B, located in Wisconsin, contracts with a printer to have 10,000 advertising flyers that are designed to promote Company B’s products printed. Once the printer finishes printing the advertising flyers, the printer mails the flyers to the addresses on a mailing list provided by Company B. The addresses are in and outside Wisconsin. The charge by the printer to Company B is exempt from Wisconsin sales and use tax since the advertising flyers are advertising and promotional direct mail.
Tax 11.70 NoteExample 2: Same as Example 1, except the flyers are sent by the printer to Company B, the purchaser, and Company B mails the flyers to the addresses on the mailing list. The flyers are not advertising and promotional direct mail because the seller/printer is not delivering the flyers to a mass audience or to addresses on a mailing list at the direction of the purchaser.
Tax 11.70(4)(a)(a) Tax applies to an advertising agency’s total sales price from the sale of tangible personal property, items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., and taxable services without any deduction for any cost element which becomes a part of the sales price. These elements include consultation, research, copy, supervision, model fees, rentals, photostats, typesetting, postage, express, telephone, travel, agency service fees, or any other labor or service cost incurred in the production of that property. No deduction may be taken even though the costs are separately itemized in a billing to the client. Tax 11.70(4)(b)(b) Tax applies to in-progress billings for production work which ultimately results in the production of finished artwork or other tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats. Tax 11.70(5)(a)(a) The tax applies to an agency’s sales price from a sale of or the storage, use, or consumption of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., sourced to Wisconsin under s. 77.522, Stats., regardless of whether: Tax 11.70(5)(a)1.1. The transfer is to the advertiser or to a third party at the direction of or on behalf of the client. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: An agency’s billing to a client in Minnesota for finished artwork transferred to a business in Wisconsin is taxable.
Tax 11.70(5)(b)(b) The sale of tangible personal property, items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., and taxable services occurs when the advertising agency transfers possession of the tangible personal property or item, property, or good under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., to the client or the client realizes the economic benefits of the property’s, item’s, or good’s use, even though the property, item, or good may not be physically transferred to the client. Tax 11.70(6)(6) Fees added to billings. When an amount billed as an agency “fee,” “retainer,” “service charge,” or “commission” represents services rendered which are a part of the sale of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., the amount is taxable. If it clearly represents a charge or a part of a charge for any nontaxable service rather than for the sale of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., it is not taxable. A fee representing both taxable and nontaxable sales shall be reasonably allocated between taxable and nontaxable sales, unless the fee is a bundled transaction, as defined in s. 77.51 (1f), Stats. Tax 11.70(7)(a)(a) An advertising agency is the seller of, and may purchase without tax for resale, any item that: Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company L is an advertising agency. Company L purchases various art equipment such as paint brushes, easels, etc., that it uses in its operations. A portion of the art equipment is sold to the general public for use. The art equipment Company L sells to the general public may be purchased by Company L without Wisconsin sales or use tax as property for resale, provided Company L gives its supplier a properly completed exemption certificate claiming resale.
Tax 11.70(7)(a)2.2. Physically becomes an ingredient or component part of tangible personal property or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., the advertising agency produces and sells. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company M is an advertising agency that produces displays for customers. The displays are usually framed or matted photographs or prints. Company M may purchase the frames, matting, and paper for photographs and prints without Wisconsin sales or use tax as property for resale, provided it gives its supplier a properly completed exemption certificate claiming resale.
Tax 11.70(7)(b)(b) An advertising agency is the consumer of all tangible personal property and items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., purchased by the agency, other than tangible personal property and items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., purchased for immediate sale to customers or that are used exclusively and directly by a manufacturer in manufacturing an article of tangible personal property or an item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., that is destined for sale and that becomes an ingredient or component part of the article of tangible personal property or the item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., that is destined for sale. As the consumer, the advertising agency is subject to Wisconsin sales or use tax on the tangible personal property and items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., purchased. Tax 11.70 NoteExample: Company N purchases various office equipment, such as typewriters, computers, tables and cabinets which it uses in its advertising agency office. Company N purchases the equipment from an out-of-state supplier that is not required to collect Wisconsin sales or use tax. Company N is subject to Wisconsin use tax on its purchase of the office equipment.
Tax 11.70 NoteNote: Exemption certificates and their instructions may be obtained free of charge from the department’s web site at www.revenue.wi.gov, by writing to Wisconsin Department of Revenue, P.O. Box 8902, Madison, WI 53708-8902, or by calling (608) 266-2776. Tax 11.70 NoteNote: Section Tax 11.70 interprets ss. 77.51 (1f), (1fr), (3rm), (14) (intro.) and (h), 77.52 (1) and (2), 77.522, 77.54 (2), (2m), (6) (am) 2., (25), (25m), (43), and (59), and 77.585 (8), Stats. Tax 11.70 NoteNote: The interpretations in s. Tax 11.70 are effective under the general sales and use tax law on and after September 1, 1969, except: (a) The exemption for printing or imprinting of tangible personal property furnished by customers and used out-of-state for advertising became effective March 1, 1970; (b) The exemption for printed advertising material used out-of-state became effective May 21, 1972; (c) The exemption for ingredients or components of shoppers guides, newspapers, and periodicals became effective July 7, 1983; (d) The sales and use tax exemption for raw materials for printed materials transported and used solely outside Wisconsin became effective December 1, 1997, pursuant to 1997 Wis. Act 27; (e) The exemption for catalogs and their mailing envelopes became effective April 1, 2009, pursuant to 2007 Wis. Act 20; (f) The provision that items must be consumed exclusively and directly by a manufacturer in manufacturing property or items destined for sale became effective August 1, 2009, pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 28; (g) The definitions of bundled transaction and finished artwork became effective October 1, 2009, pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 2; (h) The change of the term “gross receipts” to “sales price” and the separate impositions of tax on coins and stamps sold above face value under s. 77.52 (1) (b), Stats., certain leased property affixed to real property under s. 77.52 (1) (c), Stats., and digital goods under s. 77.52 (1) (d), Stats., became effective October 1, 2009, pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 2; (i) The definition of “direct mail” became effective October 1, 2009 pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 2; (j) The definition of “advertising and promotional direct mail” became effective May 27, 2010, pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 330; (k) The sales and use tax exemption for advertising and promotional direct mail became effective July 1, 2013, pursuant to 2011 Wis. Act 32; and (L) Services resulting in advertising and promotional direct mail were excluded from taxable services effective July 1, 2013, pursuant to 2013 Wis. Act 20. Tax 11.70 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, December, 1977, No. 264, eff. 1-1-78; r. and recr. Register, April, 1993, No. 448, eff. 5-1-93; cr. (3) (m), Register, June, 1999, No. 522, eff. 7-1-99; EmR0924: emerg. renum. (1) (a) and (b) to be (1) (b) and (c) and am., cr. (1) (a) and (3) (gm), am. (2) (a) to (c), (e), (3) (a), (d), (g) to (m), (4), (5) (a) (intro.), (b), (6), (7) (a) 2. and (b), eff. 10-1-09; CR 09-090: renum. (1) (a) and (b) to be (1) (b) and (c) and am., cr. (1) (a) and (3) (gm), am. (2) (a) to (c), (e), (3) (a), (d), (g) to (m), (4), (5) (a) (intro.), (b), (6), (7) (a) 2. and (b) Register May 2010 No. 653, eff. 6-1-10; CR 10-094: am. (2) (c), (e) Register November 2010 No. 659, eff. 12-1-10; CR 12-014: am. (7) (a) 2. Register August 2012 No. 680, eff. 9-1-12; CR 13-011: renum. (1) (a) to (c) to (1) (b), (d), (e), cr. (1) (a), (c), am. (2) (c), (3) (gm), cr. (3) (n) Register August 2013 No. 692, eff. 9-1-13; correction in (1) (c) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register August 2013 No. 692; CR 13-012: am. (2) (e) Register August 2013 No. 692, eff. 9-1-13; CR 14-006: am. (2) (e) Register August 2014 No. 704, eff. 9-1-14; correction in (3) (j) (Example [2]) Register August 2014 No. 704. Tax 11.71(1)(a)(a) “Application” means the specific job performance by an automatic data processing installation. Tax 11.71(1)(b)(b) “Automatic data processing equipment” includes computers used for data processing purposes and their peripheral equipment as well as punched card tabulating machines. It does not include tape-controlled automatic drilling, milling, or other manufacturing machinery or equipment. Tax 11.71(1)(c)(c) “Coding” means the list, in computer code, of the successive computer instructions for successive computer operations for solving a specific problem. Tax 11.71(1)(d)(d) “Computer” means an electronic device that accepts information in digital or similar form and that manipulates such information to achieve a result based on a sequence of instructions. Tax 11.71(1)(e)(e) “Computer software” means a set of coded instructions designed to cause a computer or automatic data processing equipment to perform a task. Tax 11.71(1)(em)(em) “Computer software maintenance contract” means a contract that obligates a vendor of computer software to provide a customer with future updates or upgrades to computer software, computer software support services, or both. Tax 11.71(1)(f)(f) “Data processing” means the recording and handling of information by means of mechanical or electronic equipment, commonly referred to as automatic data processing. Tax 11.71(1)(g)(g) “Input” means the information or data transferred, or to be transferred, from external storage media including punched cards, punched paper tape, and magnetic media into the internal storage of the computer.
