Trone Will Introduce Kidproof

Trone Advertising has been selected by Healthtex to launch its Kidproof children’s wear.

The Greensboro, N.C., shop defeated The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., and Griffin Bacal of New York to win the estimated $5 million account.

“We are happy to beat Martin in a creative shootout,” said Trone president Natalie Perkins. “Congratulations to Steve Dunkley.”

Dunkley arrived at Trone Advertising from FCB in San Francisco to head the agency’s creative department last July.

Healthtex is Trone’s fourth account win this year. The $14 million in new business pushes the agency’s annual billings to more than $130 million.

The upcoming Kidproof campaign will include broadcast, print, interactive, direct and outdoor.

“When we began talking to mothers about what they wanted and needed in children’s clothes, we knew we were onto something big,” said John Martin, director of marketingfor VF Playwear. “Moms spoke, we listened,and we feel that Trone listened right alongwith us.”

Healthtex is a division of VF (formerly Vanity Fair) Playwear, which is headquartered in Greensboro.

Trone’s pitch team consisted of Perkins, Dunkley and director of account management Mike Fox, who joined the agency from Long Haymes Carr (now Mullen/ LHC) in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The winning creative strategy, Perkins said, was to enhance the connection between well-dressed children and good mothering.

“Moms are competitive with each other,” she said. “Clothes that look new longer say, ‘Moms are good moms.’ “

Kidproof utilizes a proprietary fabric treatment that enhances knitwear’s durability by reducing shrinkage, fading and staining.

Fleishman-Hillard won Kidproof’s public relations business.

Other recent Trone wins include Catalina Marketing of Tampa, Fla., the North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Foundation and Syngenta, an agricultural products manufacturer.

Greensboro-based Syngenta was formed in the merger betweenZenca Agrochemicals and Novartis Agricultural Products. Trone markets Syngenta’s line of professional products.

“We’ve made some changes that are beginning to pay dividends,” said Perkins. “We’re focused on converting intelligence into insight and ideas that span all consumer touch points.”