• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, August 5, 2008

Hoping its back-to-school offerings will tempt shoppers torn between wanting to save money and still get name brands, Burlington Coat Factory will introduce new ads this week, themed "Great Minds Shop Alike."

Both the spot aimed at teens and the one aimed at moms of younger children open with an animated version of real-life Burlington buyers, talking about the great fashion finds they made over the summer.

The ads "pull back the curtain on how our stores work," says Garry Graham, EVP/marketing and advertising for Burlington Coat Factory. "We don't think the consumer really understands that we use buyers, just like department stores, and that our selection isn't just a bunch of leftovers bought at the end of the season. We want them to understand that our buyers are out there making decisions at the same time department stores and specialty stores are."

These spots, he says, position the company "as offering the best of both worlds. We've got the same brands and the selection of the current trend-right merchandise as department stores, while having parity of pricing with the closeout stores, like TJ Maxx and Marshalls."

The spots include photos of kids wearing brands from such companies as Avirex, Romeo and Juliet Couture, and Bongo.

Like many retailers, BCF has struggled of late. In its most recent quarter, it reported that comparable-store sales fell 3.1%.

The ads are the first from its new agency, Cramer-Krasselt/New York, and conclude with a tagline the company hopes will really resonate with value-conscious consumers: "60% less than department stores."

In addition to TV, scheduled to break Wednesday in shows targeting women 25 to 54, the campaign also features in-store radio, FSI and direct mail. BCF's annual ad budget is in the $60-75 million range.