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6 Brands That Dominated Fall Rush 2024 With PR Gifts & Sponsorships

Fall rush is more than just a busy season for sororities; these days, it’s a significant cultural event for people all over the country, mainly due to the influence of RushTok. The phenomenon of sorority rush has taken TikTok by storm in recent years, with millions of viewers eagerly following the journeys of potential new members (PNMs) as they navigate the excitement, drama, and fashion of sorority recruitment. But this year, it wasn’t just the sororities in the spotlight — some of the most popular brands across industries also saw a massive opportunity to get in on the action.

Recognizing Gen Z sorority culture’s influence on social media, the decision-makers at many brands have come to understand that RushTok is the perfect platform to engage with a young, dynamic audience in a way that feels both fun and impactful. From sending out merch to sponsoring spirit days, companies tapped into the fall rush craze to connect with college students nationwide — and many did a super good job at it.

Check out these Gen Z-favorite brands that did their thing for fall rush 2024. Because who knows? Maybe you can score some free merch or social media love from one of these businesses  next year!

Poppi

@thebrandblueprint

Did Poppi just win sorority rush? Absolutely iconic to join the rush conversation by collabing with Zeta at UT Austin on a bid day theme #poppi #rush #marketing

♬ original sound – Brooke 💡 The Brand Blueprint

Poppi took the rush hype to the next level by sponsoring spirit days for sororities like University of Texas’s Zeta Tau Alpha and University of Oklahoma’s Tri Delta. In addition to collaborating with chapters across multiple campuses, the founder of Poppi, Allison Ellsworth, showed up for a visit to the campus and recorded some super fun social content. I mean what more can you ask for in a brand partnership? 

The Pants Store

The Pants Store is a staple in Alabama, with a store in every major college town in the state. The brand is no stranger to Bama Rush, with this being the third year of the brand teaming up with sororities for fall rush content creation. This year, the Pants Store took a different approach from other partnerships by hosting a rush giveaway in which two PNMs won a week’s worth of rush essentials — clothes, shoes, accessories. (Um, can I get hooked up with some free swag too?!) 

Altar’d State

Altar’d State was not about to be left out of the RushTok fun. The apparel brand went all out by gifting merch from its 2024 rush collection and being very online throughout rush, engaging with almost every post the brand was tagged in. The Altar’d State comments section was flooded with love from students, making it clear Altar’d State is a fan-favorite for PNMs and sorority women.

Alani Nutrition

Alani Nutrition made sure sororities stayed energized and hydrated during the whirlwind that is fall rush by sending its popular drinks to chapters including University of Tulsa’s Chi Omega, Western Kentucky University’s Chi Omega, and Northern Arizona University’s Alpha Phi, just to name a few.

Celsius

Celsius, like Alani Nutrition, saw an opportunity to keep the sororities energized. Celsius gifted a ton of drinks to sororities across the country, like Florida State University’s Alpha Gamma Delta and University of Arizona’s entire Panhellenic org.

Tarte

Tarte showed up and showed out for fall rush 2024. The cosmetics company gifted sorority women with a ton of products, which were seen during the numerous unboxing videos on TikTok. Tarte really came through with keeping these women feeling glamorous during rush — as they should!

Starr Washington is a member of the Her Campus National Writer Program, contributing to the lifestyle vertical. She also serves as the President of the Her Campus chapter at her university. As a senior at San Francisco State University, she is pursuing a degree in Broadcast Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) with a double minor in Africana Studies and Education. Starr is dedicated to showcasing her blackness in her professional work and is always rooting for black creatives, particularly in film, literature, and travel. In addition to her writing, Starr is the student director of her university’s multicultural center, where she organizes and supports annual events and celebrations for both the campus and the Bay Area community. She was a speaker at the San Francisco State University Black Studies Origins and Legacy Commemoration, where she had the honor of sitting alongside the founders of the nation's first Black Student Union. Starr teaches a course she developed called “Intro to Black Love” within SFSU’s experimental college program. In her rare free time, Starr enjoys chipping away at her TBR list (she is a spicy romance girly), writing fiction, and spending time with her music enthusiast partner and their three-year-old German Shepherd. She is a Scorpio from Michigan.