NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Sallie Mae, the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company, today announced it has been recognized by the Bulldog Reporter for excellence in media relations. Sallie Mae won a Bulldog Reporter Media Relations Award for “Best Use of Personality/Celebrity” for its planning-for-college campaign with educator-turned-hip-hop-artist Dee-1. The Bulldog Reporter honors the best in corporate communications and public relations.
The unlikely partnership between bank and hip-hop artist came together when Sallie Mae connected with Dee-1 after he penned his viral hit song, “Sallie Mae Back,” about paying off his student loans. Sallie Mae crafted a public relations campaign showcasing Dee’s messages of financial literacy and responsible borrowing, which complement the company’s mission to help students and families make college happen.
Specifically, the company launched “Dee-1’s Knowledge for College” tour, during which Dee-1 and Sallie Mae visited 19 high schools in five states and awarded a total of $95,000 in scholarships. In addition, the company created “Dee-1’s #Pays2Repay Contest,” which paid off eligible student loans for Sallie Mae customers, and Dee-1’s “Pay off your student loans playlist,” a set of tips, tools, and resources to help students understand and manage student loan payments. Together, Sallie Mae and Dee-1 awarded more than $130,000 in scholarships and loan payments to students and customers across the country.
“We are honored to be recognized by Bulldog Reporter for our partnership with Dee-1,” said Martha Holler, senior vice president, Sallie Mae. “Dee’s energy is contagious, something we witnessed firsthand on our tour of high schools, but even more importantly, his messages about planning for college and responsibly managing finances resonate with students and families. Effectively reaching students, families, and customers already made these campaigns a great success, and this award is icing on the cake!”
For more information on Sallie Mae’s collaboration with Dee-1, visit SallieMae.com/Dee1. For information and free tips, tools, and resources on saving, planning, and paying for college visit SallieMae.com.
Sallie Mae (Nasdaq: SLM) is the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company. Whether college is a long way off or just around the corner, Sallie Mae offers products that promote responsible personal finance, including private education loans, Upromise rewards, scholarship search, college financial planning tools, insurance, and online retail banking. Learn more at SallieMae.com. Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.
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