- TikTok users are spoofing #BamaRush, the trend about University of Alabama's sorority recruitment.
- Users are mimicking the trend using their work outfits, tagging the videos with #CorporateRush.
#BamaRush, the cultural phenomenon that took over TikTok last summer, is over for this year but a new parody trend has gone viral in its place: #CorporateRush.
The videos use the same format that was popularized by students at the University of Alabama posting their daily outfits as they prepared for the weeklong sorority recruitment process also known as "rush." But instead of showing the beginning of a day of rushing, they show the mundanity of getting ready for work every morning. The videos have a similar cadence and enthusiasm to many of the #BamaRush videos.
The trend appears to have originated with a user who goes by the name of Holly Pockets, who posted a #CorporateRush video on August 9.
In the video, which was captioned, "Day 1: Corporate Rush," the user goes through each item of her outfit stating where they were bought. She then points under her eyes, and states, "My dark circles are courtesy of sleepless nights due to being burned out. My attitude is defeated and my mood is, 'fuck it.' Go day one!"
The post received over 800,000 views, and many comments praised her take on "rushing." One person said, "Represent for the corporate girlies," while others said the video was extremely "relatable."
The same user has posted two other #CorporateRush videos since her first, both of which have received over 28,000 views.
@holly_pockets Day 1: CORPORATE RUSH #bama #bamarush #rush #rushtok #bamatok #rolltide ♬ original sound - Holly Pockets
TikTok user @leebecs posted a video on August 10 in which she said it was "Corporate Rush day one," tagging @Holly_Pockets in the caption. In the video, she showed off her water bottle, which she said was her "emotional support," and another bottle she said was filled with coffee, which she described as "corporate regret" flavor. In #BamaRush fashion, she pointed out her bag, which is "heavy with the weight of her responsibilities," as well as her blazer, dress, and rings, highlighting where each item was from.
The account has so far posted five videos in total chronicling her #CorporateRush journey. Her first video received 1.2 million views, and subsequent videos have reached upwards of 20,000 views each.
@leebecs corporate rush!!! @the_CORPORATE_rush_PNM #bama #bamatok #rush #bamarush #rushtok #corporaterush ♬ Love You So - The King Khan & BBQ Show
A number of other users have made similar videos, with some gaining hundreds of thousands of views.
The hashtag #CorporateRush has 1.8 million views, with many similarly showing off their own work clothes, and some filming them in their offices with coworkers, and showcasing their "work from home" outfits.
@corporatenatalie WFH RUSH OOTD - inspo by @this.isnt.matt #bamarush #ootd #corporate #wfhlife ♬ original sound - CorporateNatalie
Work-related TikToks, and especially videos that satirize "hustle culture" are extremely popular on the app. TikTok saw cultural trends such as "QuitTok" and "quiet quitting" gaining traction and users often go viral for videos that are "anti-work."
The #BamaRush TikTok trend began in 2021, as many sorority pledges documented their journey and went viral as a result. It reignited this year, although on a smaller scale, leading some to believe sororities may have taken steps to ban prospective members from posting on the app. The Alabama Panhellenic Association, which oversees 19 of the univerisity's 24 sorority chapters, previously told Insider it doesn't limit what people post on social media, although individual sororities may have different rules.
For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.