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Over the years, James Zahn aka The Rock Father™, and/or his work has appeared in the press and mainstream media on occasion. This continues as part of his role as Deputy Editor of The Toy Book, and as Senior Editor of The Pop Insider and The Toy Insider.
James is available for interviews, television appearances, and public speaking engagements with a focus on entertainment, family, parenting, fatherhood, music, toys, and culture along with retail and consumer products trends. Need a toy expert or pop culture expert for your TV segment? Contact James today: james@therockfather.com
See a select assortment of Zahn’s credits at IMDb.
Select Hits:
2022:
- 08/05/2022 – A Little More Conversation with Ben O’Hara-Byrne: Mattel’s Turnaround Breathes New Life into Barbie and Hot Wheels | Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music
- 08/04/2022 – The Sacramento Bee: Toys R Us is back — here’s where you can find it in Sacramento, Modesto, and Fresno
- 07/30/2022 – Toronto Star: Suddenly, Barbie is everywhere. And her Dreamhouse is in … Mississauga?
- 07/28/2022 – Muck Rack: This month in bad PR pitches: July 2022
- 07/28/2022 – Michael Smart PR: Good Lessons from Bad PR Pitches (July 2022 Edition)
- 07/27/2022 – The List: 40 Years of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
- 07/21/2022 – Plastics News: Kickstart: The serious business of toys
- 07/19/2022 – Plastics News: LEGO part of reshoring, foreign direct investment growth in US
- 07/10/2022 – NBC Baltimore: Hot Toys for Summer
- 07/07/2022 – KATU ABC Portland’s Afternoon Live! Hot Summer Toys
- 06/23/2022: Yahoo! Finance: LEGO going green means ‘reinventing the entire product’ ahead of $1 billion Virginia investment
- 06/16/2022 – Retail Dive: LEGO to open first US factory
- 05/27/2022 – WDIV: Live in the D: Hot Summer Toys
- 05/26/2022 – Las Vegas NOW: Must-Have Summer Toys
- 05/24/2022 – The Summertime’s Hottest New Toys and a Licensing Expo Kickoff on Fox 5 Las Vegas
- 05/12/2022 – Toys to Get Kids Active on KATU ABC Portland’s Afternoon Live!
- 05/02/2022 – The List: The Toys of Summer
- 04/28/2022 – Marketwatch: Mattel Had a ‘Blowout’ Quarter but the Stock Doesn’t Reflect it, analysts say
- 04/22/2022 – CNBC Worldwide Exchange: Toy Companies Going Green, State of the Industry
- 04/22/2022 – FOX 61 Hartford, CT: Celebrating Earth Day with Sustainable Toys
- 04/22/2022 – The Spruce: The Best Storytelling Games of 2022 for the Whole Family
- 04/21/2022 – The Spruce: The 9 Best Tailgate Games for Outdoor Parties
- 04/20/2022 – Marketwatch: Christmas in July: Hasbro moves up inventory purchases to make sure there are enough toys for the holidays
- 04/15/2022 – FOX 61 Hartford, CT: Sugar-Free Easter Baskets
- 04/08/2022 – FOX 59 Indianapolis: New Spring Toys for Easter and Beyond on Fox Indianapolis
- 04/08/2022 – FOX 61 Hartford, CT: Travel-Friendly Toys for Spring
- 04/07/2022 – FOX 59 Indianapolis: Best Budget Toys and Sugar-Free Easter Baskets
- 03/28/2022 – Retail Dive: Brick by brick: How LEGO continues to build a toy empire
- 03/18/2022 – Fun Family Game Night on Fox Chicago
- 03/16/2022 – Forbes: What The Metaverse Means For The Future Of Retail
- 03/13/2022 – Forbes: How Collectibles Brand Funko Became A $1 Billion Pop Culture Powerhouse
- 03/11/2022 – The Spring’s Hottest Tech Toys on NBC Chicago
- 02/22/2022 – Cheddar News’ Opening Bell: What’s Next for Mattel and Hasbro?
- 02/13/2022 – Screenrant: Star Wars Fans Can’t Unsee Pac-Man Looking Cloud in Obi-Wan Poster
- 02/11/2022 – ComicBook.com: Star Wars Fans Keep Seeing Pac-Man in Obi-Wan Kenobi Poster
- 02/09/2022 – BBC World News’ Asia Business Report: Discussing Mattel’s Q4 Earnings on BBC World News
- 02/07/2022 – CNBC: Hasbro swings past estimates as Spider-Man movie fuels toy demand
- 02/02/2022 – FOX 61 Connecticut: Snow Day Fun
- 01/27/2022 – Forbes: Disney Princesses Gear Up For A Makeover, Like The One Barbie Got
- 01/26/2022 – Forbes: Mattel Convinces Disney It Will Love The Princesses Better Than Hasbro
- 01/11/2022 – The List: The Stories Behind Iconic Movie Sound Effects
2021:
- 12/22/2021 – Yahoo! Finance: State of the Toy Industry 2021 + Hot Toys
- 12/21/2021 – Plastics News: Toy Industry 2021 Update
- 12/20/2021 – FOX 32 Chicago: Last Minute Stocking Stuffers
- 12/20/2021 – WBZ CBS Boston: A Look At New England’s Long History Of Games And Toys on CBS Boston
- 12/19/2021 – NBC5 Chicago: Toys to “Tech the Halls”
- 12/17/2021 – AXIOS: Toys Are Getting Smarter
- 12/17/2021 – Emotional Wellness and DIY Craft Toys on News 12 New Jersey
- 12/16/2021 – Family Game Night Fun on News 12 New Jersey
- 12/15/2021 – Super STEM Toys on News 12 New Jersey
- 12/14/2021 – Hot Toys for $20 or Less on News 12 New Jersey
- 12/13/2021 – WBZ CBS Boston: ‘It Was An Unmistakable Experience,’ Remembering Local Toy Store Giant Child World
- 12/13/2021 – News 12 New Jersey: Last-Minute Gift Ideas on News 12 New Jersey
- 12/10/2021 – Stellar Stocking Stuffers on WDIV NBC Detroit’s Live in the D
- 12/10/2021 – Pop Culture Stocking Stuffers on The List
- 12/10/2021 – Hot Toys and How to Find Them on CNBC Worldwide Exchange
- 12/08/2021 – The Guardian (UK): One toy’s journey through the supply chain crisis: from Chinese factory to UK child’s stocking
- 12/05/2021 – The HISTORY Channel’s Modern Marvels: Toys & Games – “Top Toys & Games”
- 12/03/2021 – Geeky Gifts on Good Day Sacramento
- 12/03/2021 – NBC 12 Phoenix: Holiday Toy Shopping Amidst the Supply Chain Crisis on Today in Arizona
- 12/02/2021 – The Geekiest Gifts of the Holidays on FOX 59 Indianapolis
- 12/01/2021 – The List: Awesome Animal Kingdom Toys
- 12/01/2021 – Rad Retro Gifts on FOX 59 Indianapolis
- 11/28/2021 – The HISTORY Channel’s Modern Marvels: Toys & Games – “Classic Toys”
- 11/26/2021 – The Houston Chronicle: The hottest toys for 2021 include Squishmallows and the elusive PlayStation 5
- 11/20/2021 – CGTN America’s Global Business: James Zahn on What the Supply Chain Crunch Will Mean for Holiday Spending
- 11/20/2021 – Toronto Sun: ‘Tis the season for finding your favorite toys with our annual report
- 11/18/2021 – FOX News: From G.I. Joe to Tickle Me Elmo, the Christmas toy gifts that made America
- 11/15/2021 – The Washington Post: Fairy finders to fidget toys to slime: Here are the hottest holiday toys of 2021
- 11/14/2021 – Hot Toys to Grab This Black Friday on Good Day Chicago Sunday
- 11/11/2021 – More Hot Toys to Grab This Black Friday on FOX Indianapolis
- 11/10/2021 – Hot Toys to Grab This Black Friday on FOX Indianapolis
- 11/08/2021 – Toys for Every Price Range on Detroit’s Live in the D
- 11/01/2021 – Toys for Budding Builders with Parents Magazine
- 11/01/2021 – Toys That Turn Up the Jams with Parents Magazine
- 11/01/2021 – Toy Cars to Rev Up Fun with Parents Magazine
- 11/01/2021 – WATE ABC Knoxville: Want to get everything on your Christmas list? Experts say start shopping now
- 10/25/2021 – Supply Chain Issues Affecting Holiday Toy Shoppers on ABC Des Moines
- 10/24/2021 – Forbes: How A Cardboard Slide Is Steering This Toy Company In A New Direction
- 10/24/2021 – The Financial Times: Global supply chain crisis damps outlook for ad spending
- 10/14/2021 – The Financial Times: The supply chain crisis and US ports: ‘Disruption on top of disruption’
- 10/18/2021 – New York Magazine’s The Strategist: Gifts for 5-Year-Olds
- 10/14/2021 – Los Angeles Times: How one toy store found a way to avoid a supply chain nightmare before Christmas
- 10/11/2021 – Cheddar News Wrap: Breaking Down California’s New Gender-Neutral Retail Law
- 10/10/2021 – Spectrum One Los Angeles: Supply Chain Issues + Hot Holiday Toys
- 10/07/2021 – KATU ABC Portland’s Afternoon Live: Hot Holiday Toys
- 10/04/2021 – Modern Retail: The Holiday Toy Wars are Starting Early
- 10/04/2021 – Investor Place: 7 Best Retail Stocks to Buy Now to Profit From the Coming Toy Shortages
- 09/29/2021 – New York Magazine’s The Strategist: Gifts for 6-Year-Olds
- 09/17/2021 – The Los Angeles Times: The Supply Chain is Messed Up
- 09/16/2021 – CNBC’s Worldwide Exchange: James Zahn of the Toy Insider on the strained supply chain for toys right now
- 09/07/2021 – Marketplace: Retailers work around supply snags to fill shelves ahead of holidays
- 09/07/2021 – Retail Dive: What do Macy’s and the Toys R Us brand have to offer each other?
- 09/06/2021 – Houston Chronicle – Insight: Holiday Shopping Will Be Even Harder This Year
- 09/03/2021 – The List: Celebrating 55 Years of Star Trek
- 09/02/2021 – Hot New Toys and Supply Chain Issues on Cheddar News’ Opening Bell
- 08/29/2021 – CNN Business: Top toymakers say their products will be harder to find and more expensive this holiday season
- 08/27/2021 – Morning Brew’s Retail Brew: Brands turn to shop-in-shops to get in front of new customers
- 08/25/2021 – Modern Retail: Retailers hope to capture toy sales this holiday season with shop-in-shops
- 08/20/2021 – MarketPlace | Back in name only: Toys R Us brand to reappear in more than 400 Macy’s stores
- 08/09/2021 – MarketScale: This Week in B2B: What’s Driving Renewed Growth among Toymaking Giants?
- 08/03/2021 – Forbes: Shipping Container Crisis Could Derail Holiday Toy Sales
- 07/27/2021 – Rad Retro Toys on FOX 5 New York
- 07/23/2021 – Hot New Masters of the Universe: Revelation Toys on The List
- 06/27/2021 – Forbes: The Call Of The Small: How A Toymaker Shrunk The Supermarket, And Won Big
- 06/15/2021 – Hot Summertime Toys on Fox 32 Chicago
- 06/14/2021 – The List: Great Father’s Day Gifts for Geeky Dads
- 06/01/2021 – Toys for a Summertime Staycation on Live in the D (WDIV Detroit)
- 05/04/2021 – Followers of the Force Podcast: May the Fourth Be With You
- 04/20/2021 – Forbes: How the Pandemic Has Changed the Toy Business and the Latest Trends
- 04/09/2021 – The Latest G.I. Joe Toys from Hasbro Pulse Fan Fest
- 04/09/2021 – Celebrating 25 Years of Pokémon on The List
- 04/02/2021 – GoBankingRates: The Top Gaming Trends of 2021 (so far)
- 04/02/2021 – Sugar-Free Easter Basket Stuffers on CBS Las Vegas
- 03/25/2021 – Hottest New Spring Toys on CBS Las Vegas
- 03/23/2021 – Toys for a Perfect Easter Basket on NBC 3 Las Vegas
- 03/21/2021 – This Spring’s Top Tech Toys on NBC Chicago
- 03/16/2021 – Yahoo! Finance: Why Toys “R” Us is Rising from the Ashes
- 03/10/2021 – Family Fun Toys on NBC Detroit’s Live in the D
- 03/05/2021 – Marker: Fisher-Price Has Turned Our Remote Work Hell Into a Toy
- 02/12/2021 – Marketwatch: American Girl Sales Rise for the First Time in Four Years
- 02/10/2021 – Yahoo! Finance: How a sneaky rise in oil prices could affect toy prices
- 02/09/2021 – Toy Giant Earnings Exceed Expectations on Yahoo Finance
- 01/26/2021 – COVID-19 drove 16% growth in toy sales last year
- 01/18/2021 – Blabbermouth.net: PRODUCT OF HATE Releases Epic Cinematic Video For ‘Redemption’
2020:
- 12/24/2020 – Last-Minute Holiday Toys on CW–Las Vegas
- 12/23/2020 – Plastics News: 2020 Was a Crazy Year for the Toy Industry, Too
- 12/22/2020 – Last-Minute Holiday Toys on News 12 — New York
- 12/20/2020 – Top Tech Toys on Chicago’s NBC 5
- 12/18/2020 – The Comeback of the Toy Industry on NTD
- 12/16/2020 – Marketing Matters: Wharton School of Business Radio (SiriusXM)
- 12/09/2020 – Stealthy STEM Toys on Good Day Philadelphia
- 12/08/2020 – Super Stocking Stuffers on News 12 – New York
- 12/04/2020 – Top Gifts for Teens on News12 New York
- 12/04/2020 – UPDATED New York Magazine: The Holiday Toys to Buy Before They Sell Out, According to Toy Experts
- 11/26/2020 – The Year’s Hottest Toys on FOX32 Chicago
- 11/25/2020 – Yahoo! Finance Live: Black Friday and the Hottest Toys of 2020
- 11/19/2020 – The Washington Post: Hot holiday toys: Baby Yoda, L.O.L. Remix and nostalgic favorites
- 11/19/2020 – The List: Pop Culture Advent Calendars
- 11/15/2020 – Forbes: Rubik’s Cube and Spin Master – a $50 Million Deal
- 10/23/2020 – Yahoo! Finance The First Trade: Mattel’s Surprising Q3 Earnings and Hot Holiday Toys on Yahoo Finance
- 10/16/2020 – CNBC – TikTok is driving massive toy sales as play dates become less frequent during pandemic
- 10/13/2020 – New York Magazine: The Holiday Toys to Buy Before They Sell Out, According to Toy Experts
- 10/12/2020 – Loss Prevention Magazine: The New Black Friday: Retailers Kicking Off Holiday Sales
- 10/12/2020 – Seeking Alpha: Countering Prime Day Transforms Into New Black Friday
- 10/09/2020 – Yahoo! Finance: Target x FAO Schwarz and Hot Holiday Toys
- 10/09/2020 – The Washington Post: The new Black Friday: Amazon, Target, Best Buy and others kicking off holiday sales
- 10/09/2020 – Holiday Shopping Starts Early Due to Coronavirus Pandemic to Avoid Seasonal Rush
- 10/07/2020 – CNN: 3 reasons why holiday toy sales will be huge this year
- 10/02/2020 – MONEY Magazine: Baby Yoda Toys Will Be Insanely Hot Holiday Gifts in 2020. May the Force Be With You Finding Them in Stock
- 09/30/2020 – MarketWatch: Barbie could be queen of the holiday season with analysts upbeat about Mattel and Hasbro
- 09/24/2020 – Yahoo! Finance: The Hottest Holiday Toys + Global Spin Master Present Pets Debut
- 09/20/2020 – Mighty Marvel Geeks: Marvelous Toys with James Zahn
- 09/17/2020 – MediaPost: If You Don’t Have the Virus, You Can Buy it For Halloween
- 09/16/2020 – NRF: National Retail Federation: COVID Takes its toll on movie-based toys
- 09/01/2020 – Yahoo! Finance: Toy Industry Earnings Update + Global Debut of Squishmallows Star Wars Plush
- 08/19/2020 – Forbes: Toys R Us, Amazon Are Linked Online Again, After E-Commerce Deal With Target Ends
- 07/29/2020 – Geek Watch One: Pop Inside Comic-Con
- 07/27/2020 – Hasbro profit misses as production delays weigh on board game sales
- 07/27/2020 – CO – By the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: How Mattel and Walmart Drove Toy Sales by Responding to COVID-Altered Shopping Behaviors
- 07/23/2020 – Yahoo! Finance: Here’s why the toy industry will shake off the global pandemic + Global JAKKS Pacific Elf Debut
- 07/21/2020 – The HUSTLE: Hollywood is in crisis. That spells trouble for movie-themed toys
- 07/20/2020 – National Geographic: Out of Ideas for New Things to Do? Go Old-School Instead!
- 06/24/2020 – Good Day LA/FOX 11 Los Angeles: Toys That Promote Diversity and Inclusion
- 06/24/2020 – MarketWatch/SectorWatch (Wall St. Journal Network): How Delayed Movie Releases Hurt Toys and Licensing
- 06/20/2020 – The List: New Merch for Classic Movie Anniversaries
- 06/18/2020 – Cheddar Explains: How Little Tikes’ Cozy Couple Became the Best Selling Car of All-Time
- 06/12/2020 – Unveiling the Sony PlayStation 5 on Yahoo! Finance
- 06/16/2020 – Celebrating Fisher-Price’s 90th Anniversary and Talking Classic Toys
- 05/26/2020 – NBC News: Toy Sales are Spiking During COVID-19
- 05/12/2020 – ABC News: Movie-related products still hit stores despite film delays
- 05/05/2020 – Yahoo! Finance: Licensing for Toys and Movies are “Out of Sync” says Expert
- 05/05/2020 – Forbes: As Toy Sales Soar During The Pandemic, Mattel Falls Short
- 05/04/2020 – CT Post: Post-Virus Pandemic: What’s in and What’s Out?
- 04/28/2020 – FOX 31 Denver – CoComelon Gets Ready to Jump from YouTube to Your Toy Box
- 04/10/2020 – Marketplace: Puzzle Sales are Peaking During COVID-19 Quarantine
- 04/02/2020 – Chicago Tribune: Yes, hand sanitizer and toilet paper are COVID-19 quarantine essentials. So, apparently, are jigsaw puzzles, bread machines and paint.
- 04/01/2020 – Forbes: Sales Of Board Games, Crafts, Puzzles Soar As America Stays Home
- 04/01/2020 – Asbury Park Press/USA TODAY: Coronavirus means business for Matawan game maker, but closed stores makes it tough
- 02/26/2020 – Electric Playground EP Live: Talking Toy Fair
- 02/26/2020 – Forbes: Green is the Hottest Color in the Toy Box
- 02/24/2020 – Yahoo Finance: Coronavirus and the Toy Industry
- 02/06/2020 – Retail Dive: The Toy Industry Still Hasn’t Recovered Since the Death of Toys “R” Us
- 01/28/2020 – Staten Island Advance: Report: With Toys “R” Us Shuttered, Toy Sales Decline 4%
- 01/27/2020 – CO— by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: A New Toy Story: Inside the CAMP Game Plan
2019:
- 12/24/2019 – Toys R Us This Weekend Drew Lots Of Shoppers And A Visit From 50 Cent. Guess Which Generated More Revenue?
- 12/18/2019 – SiriusXM Business Ch. 132 – Marketing Matters presented by the Wharton School
- 12/14/2019 – NBC 5 Chicago Tech Trends
- 12/09/2019 – WXYZ ABC Detroit – Super Stocking Stuffers
- 12/06/2019 – WCIU The CW 26 Chicago: Holiday Giving and Hot Toys on The Jam
- 11/27/2019 – CBS News: No Breakout Hits, But a Handful of “Wow” Gifts
- 11/27/2019 – MarketWatch: Toys “R” Us, digitally powered by Target, opens its doors once again in New Jersey
- 11/20/2019 – Washington Post: Hot Toys 2019: Star Wars, Hatchimals, Owleez and Frozen offerings top holiday wish lists
- 11/20/2019 – Scranton Times-Herald/Citizens Voice: Toymaker Broadens Scope of Little Green Army Women
- 11/18/2019 – Fox 32 Good Day Chicago: Ultra-popular Toys That Are Flying Off the Shelves This Holiday Season
- 11/18/2019 – Retailers Look to “Wow” Toys to Revive Fortunes During the Holidays
- 10/22/2019 – CGTN America’s Global Business: James Zahn on the Toy Industry and How It’s Had to Adapt
- 09/20/2019 – Jezebel: Toys “R” Us is Back as an Instagram Pop-Up Adventure
- 09/19/2019 – Forbes: The Next Chapter in the Toys “R” Us Story? Interactive Play Spaces
- 08/20/2019 – Forbes: Hasbro Says it’s Game Over for Plastic Packaging
- 07/27/2019 – MotorTrend: 2019 Hot Wheels Legends Tour Chicago
- 07/25/2019 – Reuters: Toy Story 4, Barbie Star in Mattel’s Surprise Revenue Rise
- 07/25/2019 – Marketwatch: Hasbro’s Nerf and Play-Doh Were Big Sellers on Amazon Prime Day
- 07/22/2019 – Marketwatch: Toys “R” Us is Making a Comeback in the U.S., but Maybe it Shouldn’t (also at Wall St. Journal)
- 07/21/2019 – SDCC Panelist — Behind the Plastic: Licensees, Licensors, and Buyers: How Your Favorite Action Figures and Collectibles Are Made
- 07/18/2019 – CBS8 San Diego: Morning Extra: The Best SDCC Exclusives and Happenings
- 05/07/2019 – Parenting.com: Top Pokemon: Detective Pikachu Toys
- 04/25/2019 – CNBC: Mattel Signals End to Toys “R” Us Woes as Barbie Boosts Sales
- 04/23/2019 – Reuters: Bumblebee Movie Boost Transforms Hasbro First Quarter; Shares Surge
- 04/13/2019 – WGN Morning News: Star Wars Celebration — A Look at Star Wars Toys
- 03/14/2019 – Fatherly: The Most Valuable Nerf Blasters
- 02/23/2019 – Global China Television Network (GCTN) America: James Zahn on LEGO Expansion into China
2018:
- 10/04/2018 – New York Post: Toys “R” Us Could Make a Small Comeback with Store-Within-a-Store
- 10/04/2018 – PR Daily: Toys “R” Us to comeback with brand aimed at wholesale vendors
- 10/03/2018 – USA Today: Toys “R” Us Comeback (Updated)
- 10/03/2018 – NorthJersey.com/USA Today Network: Toys R Us comeback? New name, same Geoffrey emerges from Wayne headquarters
- 10/03/2018 – Toy World Magazine (UK): Could Toys “R” Us Be Brought Back from the Dead?
- 09/25/2018 – CoStar: Retailers Bet Big on Toy Sales Ahead of First Holiday Season Without Toys R Us
- 09/06/2018 – NorthJersey.com/USA Today Network: A new player enters the toy business: Toy City opens in Rockaway, two other stores planned
- 08/30/2018 – ComicBook.com: Party City’s New Toy Stores Are Starting to Open
- 08/13/2018 – The Toy Book: Recap of SDCC Panel
- 07/21/2018 – San Diego Comic-Con International: Panelist – Living in a Post-Toys “R” Us World: Navigating the Future of Toy Retail
- 06/06/2018 – New York Post: Former Toys ‘R’ Us boss has plan to salvage chain
- 05/11/2018 – Toy World Magazine (UK): Further Plans Unveiled for KB Toys Resurrection
- 03/23/2018 – Toy World Magazine (UK): The “f” Word
- 02/28/2018 – The Toy Book: Feature on Using Brand Ambassadors (published in New York Toy Fair edition)
Earlier:
- 11/2017 – Fox Business: Zicam Profile on Innovations with Ed Begley Jr.
- 05/23/2016 – Blabbermouth.net: Product of Hate – “Kill. You. Now.” Video Released
- 2015: Shot a pilot with and was interviewed by the late Larry King.
- 06/25/2015 – Real Clever: Agency Profile on James Zahn, The Rock Father
- 02/24/2015 – BusinessWire: The secrets behind press conferences, product reveals and trade show marketing
- Fall 2013: James and his girls (“The Rock Daughters”) appeared on ABC News discussing toy safety for the holidays, and appeared on WGN News in a segment regarding the Kohl Children’s Museum.
- Featured as one of three At-Home Dads in the 2013 Father’s Day issue of Lake County Magazine
- Has previously appeared as a guest on AC360 with Anderson Cooper on CNN.
Interested in booking James? Send him an email.
