# Sallie Starts Serving Ads to Students

> Sallie's new ad platform targets students with scholarships and financial aid.
- Title: Sallie Starts Serving Ads to Students · Adweek | Shortify
- Summary: Sallie's new ad platform targets students with scholarships and financial aid. Sallie's Backpack Media serves ads to students seeking scholarships using…
- Keywords: sallie, backpack media, scholarships, gen z, student loans, advertising, first-party data, college freshmen, Starts, Serving, Ads, Students
- Source: Adweek — https://adweek.com/commerce/sallie-starts-serving-ads-to-students-looking-for-scholarships
- Author: Mitchell Parton
- Published: 2026-10-01T16:48:53+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: sallie, backpack media, scholarships, gen z, student loans, advertising, first-party data, college freshmen
## Sallie Launches Ad Platform
Students and parents looking for scholarships or grants through Sallie may soon see ads for cars or apparel brands.
## Backpack Media Targets Gen Z
Backpack Media launched in March to target Gen Z and Gen Alpha students with financial and educational data.
## Munif Jaafar Leads Strategy
Munif Jaafar, senior director of strategy and revenue at Backpack Media, joined from Macy's Media Network.
## First-Party Data Focus
Backpack Media uses first-party data to sell campaigns across the web and social platforms without onsite ads.
## Ads Start on Scholarship Pages
Backpack Media began selling ads next to scholarship articles after careful testing to avoid disrupting applications.
## 16 Million Reach
Backpack Media reaches 16 million people including 11 million students and 5 million parents.
## 2 in 3 College Freshmen
Sallie reaches two in three college-bound freshmen annually through predictive audience segments.
## Key takeaway

Sallie's Backpack Media serves ads to students seeking scholarships using first-party data.