Dulux Trade proves its performance in the real world at the National Painting and Decorating Show

ICI Paints AkzoNobel has returned from its most successful year yet at the National Painting and Decorating show, which took place at Coventry's Ricoh Arena.

With a stunning 4.5m² stand that stood 6m tall at the show, the company's communication focused on its 'Proven in the Real World' campaign. The heavyweight campaign, which comprises print, radio, and a series of billboard advertisements - including one in prime position at the entrance to the Ricoh Arena - reinforces Dulux Trade as a trusted manufacturer of the highest performance coatings, and is designed to help drive sales for merchants and decorators alike.

In a series of interactive seminars addressing durability, colour confidence, woodcare and sustainability in paint, ICI Paints AkzoNobel emphasised how all Dulux Trade paint products are specially formulated to deliver key performance characteristics and are comprehensively tested by real life decorators in real world situations.

As well as challenging decorators to prove their own performance in the real world with a painting competition to test their accuracy and speed, Dulux Trade also previewed the Decorator Colour Guide & DVD. Scheduled to launch in February 2010, the Decorator Colour Guide & DVD has been designed specifically to help decorators talk to their domestic customers about the use of colour around the home, and to enable them to easily put together stunning colour schemes, from simple neutrals to bold feature walls.

An industry first, the Decorator Colour Guide & DVD was met with real enthusiasm by professional decorators, who flocked to the stand for the chance to be one of the first to get their hands on one. Decorator Kevin Harris comments: "This is fantastic and will really help me do my job. It has made me much more knowledgeable on the subject of colour, which was previously a scary area. The DVD in particular is a brilliant idea, so much more digestible than a written guide or booklet."

The ICI Paints AkzoNobel stand also showcased the manufacturer's total woodcare solution, which comprises the Dulux Trade Woodcare, Cuprinol Trade and Sikkens brands, and the company's elite Dulux Select Decorator scheme. This was re-launched in 2009 with new membership levels, enhanced member benefits including a suite of literature, and a new logo.