Ontario's residents are currently targeted by two massive ad campaigns. One promotes a Type-2 diabetes drug while the other champions the Ontario Government. The commonality? Neither will tell you what they're really about.Canada's advertising laws restrict prescription drug promotions to “reminder ads,” which exclude the condition the drug is meant to treat. Social media users, however, can deduce that the drug's weight loss side effect fuels its pervasive ad campaign. Confused? Just ask your doctor.The Ontario Government campaign, 'paid for by the Government of Ontario,' is essentially a promotion of the government itself. The ads pledge that “The future is electric,” advocating for job creation through electric vehicle and battery production.In terms of government advertising, this campaign is a refreshing change. The ads featuring electrified people with their hair standing on end clearly break through the clutter and have been getting favourable reviews from advertising professionals.Why would Ontario's taxpayers bear the expense of a massive undisclosed sum to promote the electric future? Though this initiative has the potential to incentivize drivers to switch to electric vehicles, it's typically the role of automotive manufacturers and dealers to undertake such promotions. Granted, this campaign does funnel crucial revenue into local media; however, there are alternative strategies already in place to assist these struggling media groups. For instance, the recently enacted Bill C-18 is designed for this very purpose.It's difficult not to interpret this promotional campaign as heavily partisan. Yet, this particular government is not the only one that has been tempted to utilize public funds for self-promotion.Many years ago, I had a brief stint working on an advertising campaign during Bob Rae's NDP government. The objective of the campaign was to inform Ontarians about the introduction of the new photo ID health cards. We initially suggested straightforward promotional concepts. However, we were encouraged to create a more layered message. This resulted in the adoption of a clever slogan, "You've got reasons to smile (for the camera), Ontario".Kathleen Wynne's administration also used public funds for advertising. Before her tenure, Dalton McGuinty, her predecessor, had established the Government Advertising Act in 2005. This legislation gave the auditor general the power to reject any government ads that seemed more focused on self-promotion rather than delivering substantive information to the public. However, in 2015, Wynne significantly weakened this act, effectively curtailing the auditor general's authority to veto partisan advertisements.Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk notably criticized the Wynne administration for prominently featuring the colour red in their advertisements, a colour closely associated with the Liberal party. This led to trivial modifications such as an ad with a red apple being permitted to run only in black and white. At the time, Lysyk emphasized that color is not the sole factor in determining partisanship in advertising. Other elements including tone, content, and language are also taken into account in assessing possible bias.The most egregious example of public funds misuse was during Stephen Harper's tenure. Over $100 million was spent on the “Economic Action Plan” campaign, which generated mixed results according to an internal Department of Finance poll conducted in 2015. In the private sector, this would likely be seen as poor return on investment; low recall and fairly high misattribution.Similarly, Doug Ford's government heavily spent on the "Ontario is getting stronger" campaign prior to the last election, promising economic growth and development.While the 'Future is Electric' campaign ends this month, it's likely to be brought into the spotlight once more when the Ontario Auditor General releases her report later this year. It's probable she'll classify it as partisan but still falling within the scope of the current law.The recurring misuse of public funds for government self-promotion underscores the necessity for stricter regulations and enhanced accountability. The challenge lies in the fact that most governments, once they attain power, can't resist the temptation to 'electrify' us using our own money.Éric Blais is the president of Headspace Marketing in Toronto.