Sorority Rush at the University of Alamaba just finished and it’s been a major event on TikTok. Sororities and fraternities are student organizations in American (and Canadian) colleges that are known for organizing social activities and having some of the craziest parties. The names of the organizations are formed with Greek letters, and so are also called “Greek Life.” There are also professional fraternities, but the social organizations catch more attention. Greek life in state universities are usually bigger, perhaps because there’s more students and more people want to rush.
Phi Mu house at University of Alabama from The New York Times
Last year, the University of Alabama started the #bamarush hashtag and quickly started trending on TikTok. This year, the sororities started the trend early by doing TikTok dances to promote their house and their sorority. As rush started on 8/6, many rushies, or potential new members, made outfit of the day (OOTD) TikToks. Many of them became trending on the TikTok For You page, and I, too, became invested in these girls’ rush journey. Many girls on TikTok followed these PNMs and guessed which sororities they might get into, even if they’re way past the age of attending school, or not even in the same continent. The rush process became entertainment on the platform. It caught so much attention that some analytics firms did an analysis on follower growth for these girls and analyzed their potential as an influencer. Kylan Darnell was definitely one of the most eye catching candidates, who accumulated an exponential follower growth during the seven day event. I followed her and was happy for her getting into the house she wanted!
Besides looking for the newest update everyday from these girls, something else also caught my eye; some companies leveraged bama rush as the perfect marketing opportunity. For example, many PNMs wore Kendra Scott, and Kendra Scott’s TikTok quickly responded with a TikTok of all the girls who wore their products during the rush. Lululemon also launched a collaboration at the University of Alabama right after bid day and many of the same girls and other influencers were able to showcase the products, riding off the heat of bamatok.
Besides observing the marketing opportunities during this online sorority rush livestream, I also saw the difference between Southern and Northern preppy
styles. Have only gone to school in the Northeast, I didn’t recognize some of the brands, like Kendra Scott, that the girls were wearing. I noticed that the girls at UA wear much bolder colors compared to the black uniforms I’m accustomed to in New York City. Statement Jewelry is also something that the southern girls use to express themselves. The needs in these states are simply different; weather is hotter and life is sometimes slower, so comfort is very important. Linen and other breathable materials are popular in southern clothing. The brands that offer these are different, like Southern Proper and Southern Tide compared to Brooks Brothers, J Press, and L.L. Bean.
Based on this year’s University of Alabama rush on TikTok, I’m sure that next year even more brands will reach out to these girls who are rushing and current sorority members to be influencers or micro influencers to promote their products. It’s not necessarily a bad thing for the girls - they get some free clothes in exchange for a TikTok. However, it might also become an influencer incubator event. Will all sorority rush become a marketing opportunity for companies? How will it disrupt the traditions in these schools? We will see next August.
XOXO,
2 birds
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