Webinar: The Rising Threat of Manipulated Narratives: Insights from Verizon, Nestlé, and Blackbird.AI

BlackBird.AI CEO and Co-founder Wasim Khaled, sat down with Katrina Cabrera (Verizon), Ameesha Durham (Nestlé), and Gideon Fidelzeid (PRWeek) to discuss one of the most pressing challenges for brands today: manipulated narratives and the growing risks they pose and the real-world impact on brands, and what organizations must do to get ahead of these threats before they spiral out of control.

“AI-generated narratives, synthetic media, and deepfakes are fabricating everything from press releases to executive communications, creating a massive blind spot for organizations trying to protect their reputation in real-time,” Backbird.AI CEO Wasim Khaled said during the webinar. “Even the biggest brands have faced tens of billions of dollars in damage from weaponized narratives. This isn’t just a comms problem—it’s an existential business risk.”

With AI-generated content, deepfakes, and coordinated attacks escalating in volume and sophistication, every brand—regardless of industry—is vulnerable. But as the panelists made clear, there are ways to fight back. Here are the top five takeaways from the conversation you don’t want to miss.

WATCH ON DEMAND NOW: What Is Narrative Intelligence – The Rising Threat of Manipulated Narratives: Insights from Verizon, Nestlé, and Blackbird.AI

A Narrative is More Than Just a Story—It’s a Weapon

Narratives shape how the world perceives people, brands, and industries. A single manipulated narrative, intentionally crafted and strategically deployed, can spread at lightning speed—damaging reputations, destabilizing stock prices, and eroding consumer trust. In today’s digital-first world, brands no longer manage sentiment but defend against well-coordinated narrative attacks.

“A single creator-led viral video can take off within 24 hours—before the brand even has time to respond. With the rise of generative AI, this challenge is only getting worse,” said Ameesha Durham, the Director of Corporate Digital & Content at Nestlé U.S. “You can’t predict every risk, but the key is proactive crisis planning. Not all bad narratives should be managed the same way—some can be turned into opportunities, while others require immediate damage control.”

The Cost of a Narrative Attack is Minimal—The Impact is Devastating

Imagine spending $50 million on a brand campaign only to derail it with a $50,000 narrative attack. That’s the power imbalance companies face today. Threat actors—whether competitors, activists, bad actors, or foreign entities—can manipulate public perception at a fraction of the cost it takes to build a positive brand reputation. Years of goodwill can be undone in minutes without proactive monitoring and response strategies.

Social Listening Alone is No Longer Enough

Traditional social listening tools track mentions and sentiment, but they fail to detect narrative manipulation, coordinated bot activity, or the early signs of an attack forming in fringe corners of the internet. Narrative intelligence further identifies who drives a narrative, why they do it, and how it evolves across platforms. This level of insight is essential for brands to prevent crises before they escalate.

“We once detected a deepfake image falsely showing Verizon branding in a political controversy. If we hadn’t caught it at 4 AM, it could have spiraled out of control before we even got to the office,” said Katrina Cabrera, the Senior Director of Communications at Verizon. “Common sense doesn’t drive engagement—emotion does. And in today’s environment, manipulated narratives thrive on emotion, making proactive monitoring more critical than ever.”

Executive Protection is No Longer Just a Physical Security Issue

The rise of AI-generated deepfakes, fake press releases, and impersonation campaigns has made executives prime targets for narrative attacks. The Verizon and Nestlé executives emphasized that brand security now includes C-suite security. If false narratives targeting leadership aren’t caught early, they can snowball into reputational crises that impact entire organizations.

The Way Forward – Being Proactive is the Only Way to Stay Ahead

Brands need more than just a crisis response plan—they need a proactive narrative risk strategy. That means aligning communications and security teams, leveraging AI-powered narrative intelligence, and building relationships with platforms to swiftly address manipulated content. Organizations that take this seriously protect their reputation and their bottom line.

This conversation offered valuable insights into how brands can confidently navigate today’s complex information space. If you want to learn how to identify risks, amplify positive narratives, and stay ahead of emerging challenges, watch the full webinar now.

• To receive a complimentary copy of The Forrester External Threat Intelligence Landscape 2025 Report, visit here.
• To learn more about how Blackbird.AI can help you in these situations, book a demo.