GRAPEVINE, Texas — F&I Express announced it is pleased to sponsor the 2017 F&I Digital Media Awards. The program is open to providers, agencies, dealers, OEMs and auto industry marketers of aftermarket products.

Presented by F&I and Showroom and sponsored by F&I Express, the F&I Digital Media Awards will honor companies and individuals driving innovation in aftermarket product digital media. Entrants are invited to submit videos demonstrating their best consumer-facing digital content about specific products or general education about F&I, including websites and mobile apps.

F&I Express CEO Brian Reed said that, although the automotive industry has embraced digital media, there should be a greater focus on the customer experience as it relates to aftermarket products. He pointed to a 2015 Cox Automotive study that found eight out of 10 people would be interested in learning about F&I products before entering the dealership, with 63% stating that they would be more likely to buy F&I products if they could learn about them before finalizing their vehicle purchase.

“We believe it is imperative that engaging content is being created to support dealership efforts,” Reed said, noting F&I Express is sponsoring the awards to stimulate the evolution of the aftermarket product industry. “We envision a shift from the 10x10 F&I sales office toward a comprehensive digital customer experience on a mobile device or online, where customers prefer to build awareness and do their research in the same manner as the finance piece of the car-buying process.”

To participate, visit FIDigitalMediaAwards.com and click “Submit Your Video,” or click here to go directly to the submissions page. The deadline is March 31, 2017. Category winners will be recognized at a special ceremony at Industry Summit, which will be held Sept. 11–14, 2017, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, in Dallas, Texas, where the Grand Prize Winner will be named. The Grand Prize winner will also be featured in F&I and Showroom.