Bama APhi video

[Ag_Sis]

As someone about to go through recruitment herself and checking out videos, I've also seen a lot of people mention the Alpha Phi video, but I have to say, I don't see anything particularly wrong with it. Maybe because I'm younger and more social media connected, what you see in the Alpha Phi video is nothing new at all - in fact, a lot of what was shown in that video was "done" by other Alabama sororities.

1. Practically every sorority recruitment video uses "brain-shaking" club music in the background, so that's not something that can be put on APhi's head.
2. The jumping up and down aimlessly in the air, imaginary laughing at God knows what, and blowing glitter into the camera is something already done by Alabama Phi Mu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS_sa6CCoYQ. As a matter of fact, Phi Mu does a lot more of the jumping up and down aimlessly than Alpha Phi did in their video.
3. If you want to talk bikini shots, Alabama Zeta had a video this year which has just as many, if not more shots spent on partying in bikinis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NEmsoCKkRc. Also, Alabama Pi Phi https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=tQ41sevtlD4. Additionally, I'm following a lot of sororities on tumblr and instagram and even the "classy" and "conservative" sororities at my campus have pictures of girls in bikinis and short shorts. It's not like the girls in any of these recruitment videos are grinding on a stripper pole or walking down the street in their lingerie, they're at the pool or at the lake.
4. Honestly, can any of us say with a straight face that any of these videos shows true "sisterhood?" Showing sisterhood should be during the skit and preference rounds of recruitment, not 3-4 minutes of a highly edited, scripted video.
5. I thought actually going inside the football stadium and having the mascot and football player were really great touches and it's really different from other videos that I watched! I'm really disgusted by what some people are implying about how they got the football player to participate in the video though (on other social media platforms, not necessarily GC). No one deserves to have comments like that made about them, and no, saying "they're asking for it" is not right either.
6. What's wrong with Alpha Phi trying to portray themselves as more "West Coast?" If they're fairly new, then it's probably a smart idea for them to find a niche and be really strong in whatever they choose. Besides, isn't Alabama recruiting more people from OOS anyways? Who is to say that they wouldn't choose the more "West Coast" sorority over the pearls and Bible sorority? Who are we as outsiders to judge what PNMs should value and like in a sorority?

I actually have a few high school friends going through recruitment at Alabama right now, and even though they're really busy, they told us (the girls in our GroupMe) that Alpha Phi has been nothing but lovely towards them, and a lot of the current PNMs actually view the video quite positively.

Maybe it's a misunderstanding because of the generational gap in the use of social media, but I think it's petty to be criticizing the girls who made this video when there are so many others who did very similar things, but they somehow flew under the radar. Hopefully it's just a result of Groupthink that some of the more petty comments are flying around, not because the commenters themselves are petty people.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by Ag_Sis

6. What's wrong with Alpha Phi trying to portray themselves as more "West Coast?" If they're fairly new, then it's probably a smart idea for them to find a niche and be really strong in whatever they choose. Besides, isn't Alabama recruiting more people from OOS anyways? Who is to say that they wouldn't choose the more "West Coast" sorority over the pearls and Bible sorority? Who are we as outsiders to judge what PNMs should value and like in a sorority?

Not necessarily in response to your comment alone, but also to a comment earlier in the thread about "judging" -- this seems a little disingenuous since recruitment is all about judging.

PNMs are "judging" chapters, and chapters are "judging" PNMS. Every single day of recruitment. This is why PNMs are advised to clean up their social media, arrive with appropriate attire, and remember that they are trying to impress other women, not frat boys.

And this is why we can spend 2 forum pages discussing whether to wear a necklace and/or what kind of necklace to wear with a recruitment t-shirt. I do agree that these are first-world problems in the big scheme of things.

But we behave as if image and stereotypes do matter -- if these don't, then certainly we are taking our Greek selves waaaay too seriously.

[clemsongirl]

Wow. I did not expect my comment to gain so much traction or to be created into a new thread entirely, which I am not thrilled about as it now looks like I posted it separately to start a discussion about this specific subject. That was never my intention, and while I did not mean to take conversation so far off-track as to necessitate its own new thread, I also didn't want to put this much attention on a throwaway observation.

There are different kinds of videos for different chapters in different recruitments, and while I may not personally love how a chapter chooses to market itself that's their and their advisors' decision. I also never said that there was any inherent value to being in an "East Coast" or "West Coast" sorority, and I don't love how the conversation has taken that turn.

On one hand, there really isn't a purpose to this video other than showing how attractive and fun the girls in this chapter are, but on the other that's what basically every recruitment video is about anyways. It is impossible to compact a concept such as sisterhood into three minutes. I think the conversation should be about the larger topic of why sororities feel the need to market themselves in this way and fraternities do not, rather than pointing at this chapter and casting judgment.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by clemsongirl

I think the conversation should be about the larger topic of why sororities feel the need to market themselves in this way and fraternities do not, rather than pointing at this chapter and casting judgment.

That's a great point -- I think some sororities may value themselves as they are valued by fraternities -- how many swaps, mixers, etc they have and with whom.

Perhaps this video strikes a nerve with me since it is a chapter on my campus, especially considering the negative press we have received regarding historically white stereotypes and lack of diversity. This video does a lot more to confirm those perceptions (and other sorority stereotypes) than to dispel them.

[blazer19]

I thought having the football player in the video was a little weird. UA as a whole has a tendency to throw in football whenever they can as a way to say "look at us we have a great football team" particularly when recruiting new student but having a football player in a video aimed at students already at the university is odd to me. it's almost like they are enticing the girls by showing them they hang out with someone on the football team.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by blazer19

I thought having the football player in the video was a little weird. UA as a whole has a tendency to throw in football whenever they can as a way to say "look at us we have a great football team" particularly when recruiting new student but having a football player in a video aimed at students already at the university is odd to me. it's almost like they are enticing the girls by showing them they hang out with someone on the football team.

I don't know how we can tell the PNMs up and down "don't talk about boys @ rush" and then have a video with a boy pretty prominently featured in it (to the point that some media outlets are calling him the star of it). If they would have used stock footage of the team with them cheering or making signs, that would be a little different. Or if he had an actual connection to them, like chapter sweetheart.

[blazer19]

also, as a PNM, I dont really see the relevance of any recruitment video but maybe that's just me. I would rather talk with a girl about what the chapter means to her and what their sisterhood is like rather than see a video of the members dancing around.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by blazer19

also, as a PNM, I dont really see the relevance of any recruitment video but maybe that's just me. I would rather talk with a girl about what the chapter means to her and what their sisterhood is like rather than see a video of the members dancing around.

Agreed. I think videos and skits are dumb.

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Agreed. I think videos and skits are dumb.

This is along my lines of thinking as well. Sure, they're fun, but if the point is to show sisterhood, is that what they're really doing?


I'm wondering if the recruitment video will eventually go the way of the skit. As others have stated, it doesn't really show sisterhood as that is a hard concept to display in 3 to 5 minutes. Similar to a skit.


I will add I have seen some videos present the concept of sisterhood well (at least IMO), but it's a rarity.

[amIblue?]

Clemsongirl, I never interpreted your comment as anything more than pointing out regional differences. Not better not worse, just different. I also don't see the Alpha Phi video as a big deal....and I'm old.

[KillarneyRose]

I thought it was a cute video; the girls are certainly pretty and the house makes me wish I'd gone to a school with real sorority houses.

I wonder how they decided whose butt was going to be filmed while ascending the stairs?

That said, I think they got their idea from Elle Woods' Harvard Law School admissions video.

[irishpipes]

The Alpha Phi video is almost exactly the same as the ZTA video, except for the football guy. It is so similar that it must have been shot by the same crew.
Girls lined up inside front door
Girls eating Popsicles
Girls doing gymnastics
Girls hanging on front porch
Girls at the stadium
Girls in bikinis most of the video

As a PNM, I would think if I didn't have a bikini ready bod, I shouldn't join a sorority.

[Xidelt]

Every time I see a young woman in a "revealing" outfit. I'm tempted to think critically of them. But then I stop myself and think that if I had her figure, I would probably wear what she's wearing.

Gotta go film myself blowing glitter in slow motion.

[SWTXBelle]

The fact that they are all almost indistinguishable is what bothers me - I don't know that they are therefore very effective. If you cannot tell the difference without seeing the letters, well, you haven't done much in promoting what makes your chapter different.

That said, Gamma Phi Beta videos are the best.

[Aphigal]

Originally Posted by Xidelt

Gotta go film myself blowing glitter in slow motion.

I keep wanting to see the out takes where you can be sure glitter ends up in someone's mouth....