Hayden Castro, automotive specialist and director of marketing and business development, has joined interactive media firm Sposto Productions "to ensure that independent dealers don't get left in the dust when it comes to automotive Internet sales," according to a company announcement.

A new study by J.D. Power and Associates shows that Web sites, not salesmen, are making the first impression on automotive shoppers with 62 percent of new vehicle buyers looking to the web before even leaving the house.

According to the study, the average Internet user looking to buy a car visits 6.8 independent automotive sites before making a purchase. While manufacturer sites are favored for looking up vehicle information, independent sites were preferred by customers for anything related to pricing or buying.

With eight years of expertise, Castro is working with the Sposto Productions' team of designers and developers to create solutions for automotive dealerships -- "sites that will keep customers from the first click, and turn surfers into buyers," the company said.

"The reasons independent automotive sites need to stand out is because they want to capture that sale," Castro said. "Customers who go to the manufacturer's site are directed to a local site and that's when the customer experience can fall apart. Sposto Productions helps dealers create a total buying experience, from first contact to final sale; from traditional advertising to the dealer site, to the sales floor -- turning potential customers into loyal buyers."

Sposto Productions is no newcomer to the automotive industry. The firm has created interactive tools and online promotions for Suzuki, Dodge, Porsche and iMotors.com.

Sposto Productions also pioneered interactive ad-planner technology, creating a series of Web and CD-ROM based ad planners for Suzuki Motors' automotive and motorcycle divisions.

According to Sposto officials, these tools allow dealers and their agencies to browse, download and manage product art and information ­while giving the parent company control of their brand and advertising image in all markets, presenting a unified message at both the dealer level and the national level.

Sposto also helped introduce the 2002 Dodge Ram to Web surfers by designing a "microsite" landing page that included links to various portions of the Dodge Web site.

To see examples of the work Sposto Productions has done for the automotive industry, visit www.sposto.com/automotive..

About Sposto Productions, LLC

Since 1996, Sposto Productions, LLC has been a partner for interactive design and Web development to firms and brands across the country.

Sposto Productions offers creative services and interactive solutions for the Web including e-commerce, rich media advertising and promotional campaigns. They have worked with Cingular, Ford, Levi's, Navy.com, Suzuki, and Yahoo!.

For more information, visit www.sposto.com or contact Robyn Jasko, public relations manager, at 610-894-9660, ext. 15.