It's Time For Shoppers to Find Their Inner Rock Stars

Bridgewater Commons Mall is inviting mallgoers to have a rocking time at Shop Til You Rock, with a combination of great music and lots of shopping.

The event will be held Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m. in the mall's lower level center court. 

"Shop Til You Rock is an event for the summer and fall shopping season," said Jennifer Galbraith, common area coordinator at Bridgewater Commons Mall. 

Various retailers in the mall will be providing prizes for a prize wheel, Galbraith said. Those attending Shop Til You Rock, she said, can also sign up to receive free instant alerts on their cell phones for the latest deals going on at the mall.

These retailer-to-customer communications will be done using bluetooth proximity marketing, which uses a bluetooth-based system to send geo-targeted and personalized messages to recipients, Galbraith said. 

Guests will be greeted at the start of the event by the Rock Star Headquarters station, an entrance area to welcome participants and provide introductory information. At that point, guests can also enable their cell phones to receive the deal alerts and to enter various sweepstakes.

Additionally, Galbraith said, Shop Til You Rock will have stations for attendees to explore their inner rockstars, including the Rock on Salon, the Just Dance station and the Rock the Runway.  

At the Rock on Salon, sponsored by Kodak and Hot Topic, guests will have the chance to take a headshot, then upload the photo and update the hairstyle to rockstar status at the click of a button. 

At the Just Dance area, starring a dance-friendly Wii video game, participants will have the opportunity to show off their diva-style dance moves or organize their very own dance-off.   

For those budding models between the ages of 13 and 19, the Rock the Runway station, a model search run by Fusion Model Management, will give teenagers the chance to try for stardom. The New York City-based modeling agency will be awarding six model contracts at the event, totalling $400,000, Galbraith said.

Those interested in auditioning for the modeling contracts can either sign up in advance on the national Shop Til You Rock website, or fill out an application and get a photo taken at the station on the day of the event.

In addition, the event will also feature a Pepsi Refresh Lounge, complete with a temporary tattoo station, Galbraith said. The lounge promotes the company's multimillion-dollar venture to provide grants to those who propose approved ideas for helping in areas such as health, the planet, and arts and culture.

Although some of the other Shop Til You Rock events at malls throughout the country are featuring live bands, Galbraith said the Bridgewater one will not be hosting one. Instead, a live DJ from 94.5 WPST will be mixing beats all day, she said.

But Galbraith said the event will be a great opportunity to mix two things teenagers love, namely music and shopping.

"[The event] enables different stores in the mall to connect teens with shopping and music," she said.

Shop Til You Rock is a nationwide event taking place at more than 120 malls in 39 states from July through August. General Growth Properties, which owns Bridgewater Commons Mall among others, and Disney Channel star Demi Lovato have partnered to host this free event.