TORONTO - Ontario's Progressive Conservatives have decided to start their advertising campaign for the Oct. 10 provincial election eight months early.

First-person testimonials profiling new Opposition Leader John Tory will air on television stations across Ontario starting tomorrow.

Campaign director John Laschinger says this is the first phase of the party's campaign to help raise Tory's profile with Ontario voters.

He says the next phase of the advertising strategy will focus on the Conservatives' policies and campaign platform.

Laschinger won't say how much the party is spending to have the three commercials broadcast, and notes there is no spending limit on parties so far before the election date.

The ads feature the tag line: "John Tory, a different kind of leader,'' and Laschinger admits the party is trying to distance the new leader from former premiers Mike Harris and Ernie Eves.