August 2025 gave us one of the best case studies higher ed social media has seen in years.
I found myself scrolling TikTok one night, trying to figure out why several universities, the Boston Red Sox, and a children’s museum were all talking about a college applicant named Emma. The trend could be traced back to the comments section of a video from Berry College: beautiful drone footage, a catchy Chappell Roan track, and the simple text overlay: “Our applications are open if you’re looking to get away.”
The video blew up. As of writing, they’re sitting at 21.2 million views, 2.8 million likes, and 29.1K comments. That’s pretty incredible for a small liberal arts school in Georgia that had around 8,000 TikTok followers at the time.
But it wasn’t the video itself that kicked off the success. It was the internet’s response to a single comment from a past applicant (along with Berry’s response), which flipped the script and created a trend that reached national brands and sports teams.
Let’s break down what happened, why Berry handled it brilliantly, and what every college social team can learn.
The Value of the Comments Section
Berry College’s video went viral because of the comments section, not because of a great caption or expert drone footage. (In fact: A similar video with a different song was posted 4 days before, which had significantly less engagement.)
It all started with one comment from Emma Kim, a biology major at the University of Georgia who had previously applied to Berry: “Ok but yall rejected me 2 years ago”.
TikTok users rallied around Emma. They posted memes, dropped supportive replies, and spun her rejection into an underdog story. The hashtag #JusticeForEmma took off.
The music did add its own layer of irony, though: Chappell Roan’s voice sings “She got away” on loop in the background as you scroll the comments section, inadvertently reminding the world that Berry had, in fact, let Emma get away.
It couldn’t have been a more fitting backdrop for the drama unfolding. One commenter wrote: “But Emma never got a chance to get away.” Another: “This comment section killed me because what do you mean everybody collectively came together just to protect one person they barely know?”
How Big Did This Get?
Really big. Here are some quick numbers:
- The original video’s numbers: 21.2 million views, 2.8 million likes, and 29.1K comments (as of writing).
- Follow-up videos: Eight of their videos that followed saw over 1 million views each, with one reaching almost 10 million views.
- Berry’s TikTok followers: Their page went from 8,000 on 8/1/25 → to 20,000 in two days → to 54,000+ by the end of August.
- Website traffic: Berry College reported their website traffic was 4x their normal volume.
Berry College’s response (and why it worked)
Let’s be clear: This could have gone sideways fast.
Having worked in social media for universities, I imagine the social team at Berry had panicked as the comments poured through. At some point, every social team will have to make hard decisions. Should they delete the comment? Apologize? Defend their choice? Ignore it all?
“Failing to prioritize interaction is one of the biggest mistakes in social media marketing,” says Jordan Young, Social Media Consultant with our team here at Eduvantis. “Too often, I see clients overlook comments or choose not to respond at all.”
The response from Berry College was smart. They didn’t stick their head in the sand or issue a stiff, formal statement. Instead, they leaned in. In doing so, they showed they weren’t afraid to laugh at themselves and invited the community to keep the conversation going.
Berry College’s Response:
- The team replied directly in the comments, noting that they weren’t involved in admissions but loved the outpouring of support for Emma.
- They then rolled out follow-up TikToks. One video showing a staffer covering her face in mock embarrassment, captioned “The social team after finding out what happened to our homegirl Emma.”
- When other schools and even pro sports teams started posting their own takes, Berry jumped right into the mix. They traded jokes, left witty comments, and even threw a playful punch back at Arcadia University after a castle comparison: “dissing our castle is a step too far smh.” That single comeback pulled in tens of thousands of likes on its own.
This worked because:
- Speed matters. Their social team was able to engage without getting trapped in a slow approval chain.The key? Berry didn’t sit back and hope the trend stayed positive. They actively participated, showed they could laugh at themselves, and treated their audience like collaborators in the story.
- Humility beats defensiveness. Not every student gets in—and Berry was okay owning that truth.
- Authenticity > polish. They didn’t over-script their replies. They let the moment breathe.
Cameron Jordan, Berry’s Assistant VP of Digital Marketing and Media, explained, “We could have shut off comments, or taken a defensive posture and explain this was an admissions decision. Or we could have just leaned into the joke and actually benefited from it. That was the better option because that’s how we end up benefiting from what was happening.”
That confidence made all the difference—and turned a risky comment into a community moment.
How other universities and brands jumped in
Berry’s willingness to let the joke run free inspired a wave of playful participation from other institutions and brands, each putting their own spin on the #JusticeForEmma story:
- University of Maine: “We would never reject our girl Emma. (We have a 95% acceptance rate)”
- Arcadia University: “hey emmalicious2x, our applications are open, plus our castle is better…”
- Northeastern University: “brb: social team is pouring over 2 year old applications to make sure we didn’t reject our girl Emma”
It wasn’t just colleges. The trend reached beyond the higher ed algorithm as professional sports teams and big-named brands joined in, including the San Francisco 49ers, the Chicago Cubs, and StubHub.
Berry College was right there in their comments each time, rolling with the joke.This flood of participation only amplified Berry’s spotlight. Suddenly, a small liberal arts college was being mentioned alongside national universities and pro sports franchises, gaining visibility on a scale no traditional campaign could have bought.
What other institutions can learn
Berry’s viral “Emma” moment was unpredictable and impossible to recreate authentically, but there is a lot other universities can learn from the moment.
“One conversation missing in higher ed is the idea of giving your institution a true persona,” says Jordan. “Many consumer brands do this well, but universities have been slower to embrace it.”
TikTok has become a safe space for exploring tone of voice. When done well, it’s often rewarded. “This viral trend is a perfect example: Because it started in higher ed, other institutions could join in with low risk,” says Jordan. “Not every trend will feel natural for colleges, but my advice is to steal, tweak, and make it your own.”
Let’s look at a few more takeaways higher ed marketing teams can learn from this moment.
1. Humor isn’t a risk. It’s a bridge.
Too many schools treat humor like it undermines credibility. Berry proved the opposite.
Don’t be afraid to laugh with your audience. It shows confidence and makes you more relatable.
2. Let your audience tell the story.
The most powerful part of #JusticeForEmma wasn’t Berry’s posts. It was the internet rallying around Emma. Schools don’t always need to manufacture the narrative. Sometimes they just need to step aside.
Create the spark, then let your community fan the flames.
3. Empower your social team.
If your social team needs three layers of approval to reply to a comment, you’ll never catch lightning like this. Viral moments move at internet speed. Give your team the trust and autonomy to move with them.
Build trust and clear guardrails so your team can act quickly and confidently.
4. Vulnerability creates trust.
Leaving Emma’s comment visible (instead of deleting it) turned a rejection into a trust-building moment. Audiences respect honesty over perfection.
Transparency is disarming. Own your imperfections rather than hiding them.
5. Measure the ripple effects.
The follower growth and website surge are nice, but the real question is: Did this lead to more inquiries and applications? Every viral bump should be tracked through the funnel.
Treat viral spikes as data points. Measure what matters to enrollment.
6. Stay anchored to your brand’s message.
Viral moments are tempting detours, but they only deliver long-term value if they connect back to your core story.
Make sure every playful response still reflects your institution’s values and voice.
7. Monitor the conversation beyond your walls.
This trend worked because Berry didn’t just post once and walk away. They kept listening as other schools, brands, and sports teams joined in—and jumped into the conversation with wit.
Active social listening is critical for spotting opportunities and steering the narrative.
The Big Takeaways
Berry’s “Emma” moment showed how higher ed institutions can turn an unpredictable situation into a smart marketing win. It also proves that authenticity beats perfection. Students and audiences respond to institutions that feel real and approachable—and that aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves.
You can’t manufacture viral success, but you can be ready for it by giving your team the freedom to act quickly and by letting your community shape the story.
“Unlike traditional marketing, social media marketing thrives on engagement, real-time interaction, and user-generated content,” says Jordan. “This example captured all three, and that’s what made it so powerful.”
For colleges and universities, the takeaway is simple: Trust your audience, empower your people, and stay grounded in your brand values. That’s how you turn a fleeting moment into lasting value. When you can laugh with your audience, you build trust that lasts far beyond a single campaign.
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