Who: Indigo, Conflict Creative, Mindshare (media), Common Good (production), Adam Beck (director), Artjail (post production) and Pirate (audio).

What: A new campaign built around a poetic TV spot highlighting the joys of fall, with the campaign tagline: “Make it an Indigo Weekend.”

When & Where: The campaign broke Sept. 2 and runs through the end of October, with national TV (English only), online, paid social, radio and out-of-home in seven markets.

How: The ad goes all-in on the feelings of comfort and coziness that go hand-in-hand with the arrival of fall, and how Indigo can enhance those feelings. The creative goal for Indigo right now is to give more meaning and depth to its long-standing “Enrich Your Life” brand platform, said Niall Kelly, Conflict Creative partner and CD. “We have been trying to help them do that by showing that when you buy something from Indigo, you are really buying more than just a thing.”

The ad communicates that Indigo products like blankets, tea cups, scarves and, of course books, can help elevate the unique pleasures of autumn. “We wanted to capture the essence of fall—it’s about gearing down, about back to routine, spending more time indoors,” said Kelly.

Why:  Above all, the ad had to make people feel something. “To cut through when everyone else is yelling at you,” said Kelly. A lot of TV advertising now is just jamming in as many reasons to buy as possible. “You have got to make people feel something these days,” he said. When there is so much choice in the market, people can be overwhelmed. “So you pick the thing that makes you feel the best.”

The subtext: The campaign reflects Indigo’s efforts to reposition itself as a books/lifestyle retailer amid softening sales in the Amazon era. It reported a 7.6% drop in same-store sales in the most recent quarter, while revenue for the quarter was down $12.8 million to $192.6 million. The company also noted that its general merchandise business is being impacted by “softer discretionary spending” in core categories.

Quote: “Indigo’s mission is to enrich the lives of our customers—we wanted to bring that purpose to life in a thoughtful and evocative way… In many ways, this is a “love letter” to Fall, showing those tiny moments of magic, and hopefully, bringing some joy to our customers’ lives.” —Samantha Taylor, chief marketing officer, Indigo.