Over the years, sorority recruitment has morphed into something much bigger than an opportunity for college students to join Greek life — it’s a pop cultural phenomenon, complete with social media trends, documentaries, and, of course, brand integrations. As brands have come to participate in rush each year, they’ve gone to great lengths to be not only relevant, but helpful, during this important milestone in college life. And this year, one of the best examples of this has to be from Kotex.
This rush season, Kotex is giving away nearly 1 million pads and liners to sororities, with the purpose of stocking chapters across the U.S. with a year’s worth of supplies. And the brand is doing so with a creative sweepstakes geared toward the newest members of Greek life: PNMs who are just receiving their bid cards.
To enter the sweepstakes, PNMs who receive bids can upload a photo of their bid cards to Instagram and mention @kotexus and the hashtag #KotexRushSweepstakes in the post’s caption. And that’s it! The promotion runs from Aug. 19 to Sept. 9, with winners being announced on Sept. 10 or soon after. There will be 100 grand prize winners randomly selected from all the entries, with each winner receiving around 9,000 Kotex products.
Imagine being a brand-new pledge in your sorority and already scoring a bunch of freebies for your new sisters; Honestly, iconic! If you’re nervous about joining a new sorority and not making friends or standing out, this giveaway just might be your way to make a name for yourself.
Also, if you go to the University of Arizona, this won’t be the last you’re seeing of Kotex this recruitment season. On Aug. 29 and 30, brand is hosting the KX VIP Lounge right on Greek Row, so that PNMs have a place to refresh and reset amid rush week. The lounge will feature private bathrooms, a “Flowbar” station where students can get expert recommendations for Kotex period products, a “Glow & Go” station stocked with cosmetics, hair care, and skin care products, and more.
For many college students, this Kotex initiative is bigger than bid day. According to a study by BMC Women’s Health, nearly 1 in 10 college women experiences period poverty. And even for those who don’t, period product costs can add up — according to recent data, the average person spends between $120 and $180 on period products each year. By providing free products and opportunities to talk openly about period care during such a pivotal time in a college student’s life, Kotex is showing up in a big way.