Target Invites you to "Share the Force" - Like The Rock Father Before You...

Tuesday, August 25 2015 10:41

Target Invites you to "Share the Force" - Like The Rock Father Before You...

Written by James Zahn

Over the past five years or so, I've written at length about my wife and I sharing our love of STAR WARS with our girls, "The Rock Daughters." I've at times called it "Teaching The Force The Rock Father Way," but no matter what it's called, our family finds new ways to "Share the Force" each and every day. With J.J. Abrams' STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS headed for cinemas on December 18th, generations will Share the Force together - and if STAR WARS Day (May 4th) was the kick-off, we can officially deem that the action is approaching hyperspace as we head toward #ForceFriday - the day that new STAR WARS toys and merchandise will begin hitting retailers Nationwide. You've seen my daily Force Friday Countdown here on the site, but now things are getting serious. My friends at Target are opening 207 stores at midnight on September 4th, and all of their locations will have special #ShareTheForce events on Saturday, September 5th, where families will find special giveaways, photo ops, activities and more. But don't wait until then to Share the Force - you can do it now... like The Rock Father before you...

THE ROCK FATHER and the CANTINA ADVENTURE PLAYSET Target has officially launched ShareTheForce.com, a multi-platform initiative in partnership with Lucasfilm in which fans' STAR WARS memories will be archived at Lucasfilm for the very first time. As part of it, there's a series of online spots that celebrate nearly 40 years of STAR WARS memories that are being passed through generations. I'm in one of those spots... as a child. Back in May, a producer from Deutsch LA (read more about their project in this Ad Age article from this morning) contacted me through the site after finding my favorite picture from my STAR WARS childhood posted online (left) - my birthday in 1980 when I opened the Kenner STAR WARS Cantina Adventure Playset. They asked me if I had more, and indeed I did. I shared with them some Super 8mm footage of that same day - along with my opening THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK AT-AT on Christmas morning of 1983, some additional playtime clips, and footage of my girls opening some appropriately Target-exclusive STAR WARS REBELS toys last Christmas. After digging up those original reels from way back when and shipping them to Los Angeles, the Cantina and AT-AT clips ended up in one of the Share the Force spots (you can see several of them here). Look for me around the 10, 13 & 15-second marks in the video below...

Click here to shop Target's extensive STAR WARS selection online, and to find a participating #ForceFriday store near you!

Want more STAR WARS delivered daily? I can help you with that: http://therockfather.com/starwars

Target STAR WARS - #ShareTheForce

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James Zahn

James Zahn is not a journalist, nor a blogger, though he may be credited as such by others, or even accept the title... depending on the circumstance. Instead, he considers himself largely to be an "entertainment and lifestyle writer," bringing 25+ years of experience in the entertainment and publishing industries into the family realm as THE ROCK FATHER™.

As a media personality, commentator, adventurer and raconteur, James now finds himself raising a pair young girls - The Rock Daughters™ - along with his wife from their Illinois home.

He is a member of The Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board, has contributed to The Toy Book and writes a regular Star Wars column - Transmissions from a Galaxy Far, Far Away for The Pop Insider. He also regularly serves as a Brand Ambassador and spokesperson for several Globally-recognized pop culture and lifestyle brands in addition to consulting for a number of toy manufacturers.

Creatively, James has directed/edited music videos, lyric videos, and album trailers for bands such as FEAR FACTORY, has appeared as an actor in feature films and commercials, written comic books, and performed in bands. He currently serves as an artist manager and video director for PRODUCT OF HATE, whose debut album was released by Napalm Records in 2016, distributed by ADA/Warner Music in the U.S. with Universal Music handling global.

James and/or his work have been featured in/on CNN, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, WGN, G4, The Chicago Tribune, BusinessWire, Babble, Fangoria, Starlog and more. He's appeared as a music expert on CNN's AC360 alongside Anderson Cooper, and has been interviewed by Larry King. In the past he served as a writer for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family and PBS KIDS, penned articles for Sprout and PopSugar, and was a contributor to Chicago Parent.

Learn more here.

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