Mudslinging, backbiting, finger pointing and negativity appear to be the order of the day in advertising leading up to the Ontario provincial election. It’s a bit like watching WWF wrestling without the fancy costumes, and it’s expected to get even more aggressive in the run up to June 3.

While the battle for voters is being waged across all media, including print and the Internet, television and radio are the advertising media of choice.

The incumbent Progressive Conservative party is sticking to the message it first started using last year: ‘Strong leadership for a strong Ontario’, and its contention that Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty is ‘just not up to the job.’

Perry Miele, co-chairman of the Gingko Group of Toronto, the PC party’s ad agency, says the strategy has been not to do anything fancy, but rather to communicate the party’s position as clearly as possible.

The Tories’ first TV spot, which went to air May 12, attempts to contrast the positive ‘accomplishments’ of the Mike Harris government with the contrarian positions put forward by the Liberals.

Meanwhile, the Liberals’ first TV commercial, ‘Debt’, from LBJ-FRB Communications of Toronto, opens with a shot of Mike Harris and features a voiceover that talks about the debt his government has amassed during its time in office. The Liberal tagline is ‘Putting People First.’

While the Tories and Liberals target each other in their advertising, Howard Hampton and his New Democratic Party have the arduous task of tackling them both.

Campaign spokeswoman Rosemary Hnatiuk says the party’s advertising is staying focused on the NDP’s main message that tax cuts are putting lives at risk. The theme is ‘Today’s NDP. Clearly on your side.’

The campaign comes from NOW Communications Group of Vancouver, the agency used by the NDP in British Columbia.

Advertiser: The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario

Agency: The Gingko Group, Toronto

Creative Directors: various

Media: Television and radio

Launch date: May 12

Length of run: 21 days