Unlike film production, the commercials production industry's choice of filming locations is rarely driven by government-sponsored tax incentives. In part, this is because many tax incentives are primarily designed to attract feature films. But it is also because the economic benefit to commercial producers is much less than it is to film producers, who typically operate on bigger budgets and longer shooting schedules.
For commercials producers that are looking to save money, the best way to do so is usually to go looking for cheaper places to shoot - examples being Eastern Europe, Spain or South Africa. Having said this, it is clear that tax incentives could prove decisive in some situations. If it's a question of deciding between a number of similar US states, for example, then a decent incentive might tip the balance one way or the other.
Equally, a European or Asian country that can offer both low costs and an attractive tax break is well-placed to win work. This is certainly an option for countries that don't have a track record in audiovisual, but want to make a mark in the business.
In reality, there aren't many places that currently offer commercial producers incentives. Below, we look at some of the countries and regions that have a good track record with commercials production, and identify which have incentives.
USA: Incentives
The US is blessed with all the raw materials you need to make great TV commercials, such as diverse locations, high-quality acting and technical talent, state of the art camera and lighting equipment and cutting edge post-production and graphics companies. It's no real surprise, then, that the vast majority of US commercials are shot domestically, according to the AICP (Association of Independent Commercials Producers). In a 2012 survey, it found that only 12% of commercials went abroad.
Where incentives come into play is in encouraging commercials producers to switch from one state to another. States that have incentives applicable to commercials include: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Other states may also accept applications from commercials, but not necessarily on terms specifically targeted at commercials. For example, South Carolina says commercials will qualify as long as they meet the standard $1m spending requirement. By contrast, Florida has a specific category for commercials that says: A minimum of $100,000 per commercial must be spent. A production company must spend at least $500,000 within one fiscal year to apply. In other words, Florida has a lower bar to entry for commercials than for films but is seeking to encourage producers to return.
Similar conditions exist in other states, so check out our filming guides for specifics.
Canada/Australia/New Zealand/South Africa: No Incentives
Canada is a very desirable production destination thanks to the quality of its infrastructure, the depth of its talent-base and its world-beating incentives. British Colombia, Ontario and Quebec are all Canadian states that offer attractive tax incentives for vfx and animation but not for commercials. Commercials are also excluded from eligibility for the national tax credit.
The situation is similar in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa where there are attractive tax credits for film, TV, post-production and vfx but not for television commercials. Locations, climate and - in the case of South Africa - cost, are the real attraction.
Western Europe: No Incentives
The UK, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland and Belgium all have film and TV tax incentives and all have strong commercials businesses. But the latter group don't benefit from the former incentives. In the UK, the Treasurys Creative Sector Tax Reliefs document, published in April 2014, states that tax relief is available to film, TV, animation & video game production but not commercials.
In Spain, which is a popular location for commercial shoots, there are some incentives for TV and film but not for advertising. It is possible that any attempt to include advertising within such schemes would need to secure EU approval. The EU pays close attention to the film incentives sector to ensure that countries are not distorting the way the single market functions.
read the full report at http://www.kftv.com/news/2015/02/05/wheres-financially-best-to-film-your...
Commercials
South Africa
News
Most recent headlines
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things By the Numbers: How the Global Phenomenon Shap...
23/12/2025
Experience the power of WO Automation for Radio's newest service, the System Effectiveness Review. Designed to help you achieve more, a System Effectiveness...
23/12/2025
23 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to A...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
How Steamy Can It Get? Single's Inferno' Season 5 Pre...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
33 Million Global Viewers on Netflix Watched Jake Paul vs. Ant...
23/12/2025
New technique lights up where drugs go in the body, cell by cell Scripps Research scientists developed a technique that maps drug binding in individual cells th...
22/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Presidio's Neerav Shah on the Role of Its Captiva...
Unlike film production, the commercials production industry's choice of filming locations is rarely driven by government-sponsored tax incentives. In part, this is because many tax incentives are primarily designed to attract feature films. But it is also because the economic benefit to commercial producers is much less than it is to film producers, who typically operate on bigger budgets and longer shooting schedules. 
