Brand M3dia Group CEO & Founder, Antonio Hondo Parente, explains how interactive digital display touch kiosks, AI robots, and proprietary software turn event engagement into measurable results.
Antonio Hondo Parente is not the sort of founder who leads from behind a spreadsheet. Before launching Toronto-based Brand M3dia, he learned the hardest lesson in live events: attention is earned, not assumed. Today, that same “floor-first” mindset powers one of Canada’s leading interactive activation companies, known for interactive digital kiosks, AI robots, and smart software built to convert attention into outcomes.
We sat down with Antonio Hondo Parente to talk about the journey, the strategy behind Brand M3dia, and why the future of events belongs to what he calls “measured magic.”
CSE: You often say you “grew up on the event floor.” What does that actually mean?
Antonio Hondo Parente: I genuinely did. When I was 12, I started hosting rollerblade dance parties in my neighbourhood. That grew into nightlife events, festivals, brand activations—and eventually over 3,000 events worldwide. I’ve handled sponsorship, production, promotion, media, design, video, stage work, and run-of-show… everything.
I also created my own media platforms, Love This City TV and Love This City Magazine, which taught me something most brands underestimate: attention and storytelling are skills. Love This City trained my instincts for what actually makes people stop, watch, react, and share the same skills you need on a show floor when guests are moving, distracted, and deciding in seconds.
CSE: What pattern ultimately led you to start Brand M3dia?
Antonio Hondo Parente: Brands were spending big money on “wow,” but leaving dwell time, data, and sponsor revenue on the table. At the same time, conference and trade show audiences were changing fast. Today’s audiences have the attention span of a goldfish with a smartphone. If you don’t grab them, inform them, and make it memorable in seconds, you’ve lost them.
So I built Brand M3dia to connect the full stack: hardware, software, content, and on-site execution under one roof so the experience doesn’t just look good… it performs.
CSE: How do you explain Brand M3dia to planners who haven’t worked with you yet?
Antonio Hondo Parente: In simple terms, we engineer attention and make it useful.
We don’t just rent technology. We design, build, and operate it ourselves. We manufacture interactive digital display touch kiosks, deploy and program AI robots, develop our own proprietary software platform (BM3 Suite), and manage on-site operations with our team.
That full-stack model means planners get one accountable partner, and sponsors get real outcomes: engagement, visibility, and measurable performance.
And yes, this approach is being recognized. Brand M3dia was nominated for three Canadian Event Awards in 2025: Best AV, Best Technical Event, and Best Booth & Pavilion Design. The company has also earned three nominations for the 2026 Canadian Event Awards: Best Pop-Up Experience, Outstanding Logistical Achievement, and Best Trade Show Booth, Display, or Pavilion Design.
CSE: Many companies offer event tech. What actually differentiates Brand M3dia?
Antonio Hondo Parente: Most event tech fails because it’s divided among vendors—hardware from one provider, content from another, software from a third, and freelancers managing it on site. We flipped that model because we own the stack.
So we can:
- Update content in minutes
- Swap experiences on the same kiosk (gamification, photo, lead-gen, sponsor hubs)
- Adjust sponsor placements and ad sequences in real time
- Reprogram robot scripts between show days
Planners don’t get four fingers pointing at each other. They get one team that built it, runs it, and supports it.
CSE: You often talk about hospitality, which isn’t always associated with tech. Why is that central?
Antonio Hondo Parente: Because events are human before they’re technical. We design around real behaviour where people get confused, bored, impatient, or overwhelmed.
Hospitality taught me flow, pacing, and psychology. Technology should reduce stress, guide the guest, and create clarity while still delivering a “wow” moment.
CSE: How do you measure success beyond “that was cool”?
Antonio Hondo Parente: We examine three things: WOW, WORKFLOW, and WALLET.
WOW is emotional impact (the moment people remember).
WORKFLOW is operational sanity (less confusion, fewer bottlenecks, smoother execution).
WALLET is a commercial return (sponsorship, revenue lift, measurable value).
We monitor dwell time, interactions, FAQ handling, and sponsor impressions, and we’ve observed activations generate CA$35,000 to CA$50,000 in sponsor value while significantly lowering print costs.
When sponsors can see the numbers, the conversation changes.
When sponsors can see the numbers, the conversation changes. Visibility becomes renewable. Data becomes leverage. And year over year, the show and the strategy gets stronger.
CSE: What’s next for Brand M3dia, and for the industry?
Antonio Hondo Parente:
I see the future in what I call measured magic.
Context-aware content, programmable sponsor marketplaces, frictionless commerce, and scalable deployment models enable planners to access the same level of technology across cities.
The goal is simple: experiences that feel exciting in the moment and demonstrate their value afterward.
Ready to level up your next event activation and learn more about Brand M3dia Group?
Visit their website and book a quick Discovery Call, and they’ll map out the best mix of interactive digital display kiosks, AI robots, and engagement software for your goals: book a demo or explore our Event Solutions, watch the video.
CSE readers receive a limited-time promotion: rent 1 kiosk, get 1 kiosk free (select models/dates).
Want to see it live? Visit Brand M3dia Group’s state-of-the-art new Toronto showroom and test-drive everything before it hits your show floor.